Natural Killer Cell Depletion Fails to Influence Initial CD4 T Cell Commitment In Vivo in Exogenous Antigen-Stimulated Cytokine and Antibody Responses

The role played by NK- and NK1.1-expressing T cells in CD4 T cell activation and induction of immune responses in vivo is controversial. These effector cells of the innate immune response are hypothesized to play a pivotal role in shaping initial T cell activation, with some groups reporting that classical NK cells are required for optimal Th1-like T cell activation, and others supporting a role for NK1.1+ alphabeta T cells in Th2 generation. Here, we examine the impact of in vivo NK cell depletion on the development of exogenous Ag-specific cytokine and Ab responses using a murine model of human immediate hypersensitivity. OVA-specific immune responses were induced in 1) C57Bl/6 bg/bg and bg/+ mice, 2) BALB/c mice pretreated with anti-asialoGM1 or control Ab, and 3) C57Bl/6 mice depleted of NK1.1-expressing cells by in vivo administration of anti-NK1.1 mAb PK136. Depletion efficacy was assessed by functional assays and flow cytometric analysis. Each of these approaches indicated that depletion of NK cells and NK1.1+ CD4+ T cells fails to alter the Th1:Th2 balance of Ag-driven cytokine synthesis, as indicated by OVA-stimulated cytokine synthesis in primary bulk culture. Similarly, the kinetics and intensity of effector responses such as OVA-specific IgG2a and IgE synthesis were neither increased nor decreased in any of the three models examined. The results argue that NK cells and peripheral NK1.1+ T cells do not play an essential role in shaping the induction of Ag-specific immune responses to soluble exogenous Ags, the most common class of inhalant allergen.