LIR-1 educates expanded human NK cells and defines a unique antitumor NK cell subset with potent antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity

Objective: KIR and NKG2A receptors educate human NK cells to stay responsive to cells with diminished HLA class I. Here, we addressed whether the HLA class I-binding receptor LIR-1 (LILRB1/ILT2/CD85j), which is widely expressed on human NK cells, can mediate education and contribute to antitumor functions of NK cells.

Methods: Healthy donor NK cells either unstimulated, overnight cytokine-activated or ex vivo-expanded were used to target human cell lines. Phenotype and function were analysed using flow cytometry and ⁵¹Cr-release assays.

Results: We found that the inhibitory receptor LIR-1 can mediate NK cell education under specific conditions. This novel finding was exclusive to expanded NK cells and further characterisation of the cells revealed high expression of granzyme B and DNAM-1, which both previously have been linked to NK cell education. Corroborating the rheostat education model, LIR-1 co-expression with an educating KIR further increased the responsiveness of expanded NK cells. Inversely, antibody masking of LIR-1 decreased the responsiveness. LIR-1⁺ expanded NK cells displayed high intrinsic ADCC that, in contrast to KIR and NKG2A, was not inhibited by HLA class I.

Conclusion: These findings identify a unique NK cell subset attractive for adoptive cell therapy to treat cancer. Given that LIR-1 binds most HLA class I molecules, this subset may be explored in both autologous and allogeneic settings to innately reject HLA class I^- tumor cells as well as HLA class I⁺ target cells when combined with antitumor antibodies. Further studies are warranted to address the potential of this subset in vivo.