A Human Anti-M2 Antibody Mediates Antibody-Dependent Cell-Mediated Cytotoxicity (ADCC) and Cytokine Secretion by Resting and Cytokine-Preactivated Natural Killer (NK) Cells

PLoS One. 2015 Apr 27;10(4):e0124677. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0124677. eCollection 2015.

Abstract

The highly conserved matrix protein 2 (M2) is a good candidate for the development of a broadly protective influenza vaccine that induces long-lasting immunity. In animal models, natural killer (NK) cells have been proposed to play an important role in the protection provided by M2-based vaccines through a mechanism of antibody-dependent cell-mediated cytotoxicity (ADCC). We investigated the ability of the human anti-M2 Ab1-10 monoclonal antibody (mAb) to activate human NK cells. They mediated ADCC against M2-expressing cells in the presence of Ab1-10 mAb. Furthermore, NK cell pro-inflammatory cytokine and chemokine secretion is also enhanced when Ab1-10 mAb is present. We also generated cytokine-preactivated NK cells and showed that they still displayed increased effector functions in the presence of Ab1-10 mAb. Thus, our study has demonstrated that human resting and cytokine-preactivated NK cells may have a very important role in the protection provided by anti-M2 Abs.

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Antibodies, Monoclonal / immunology*
  • Antibody-Dependent Cell Cytotoxicity / immunology*
  • Cell Line
  • Cytokines / biosynthesis*
  • Humans
  • Killer Cells, Natural / immunology*
  • Killer Cells, Natural / metabolism*
  • Lymphocyte Activation / immunology*
  • Viral Matrix Proteins / immunology*

Substances

  • Antibodies, Monoclonal
  • Cytokines
  • M2 protein, Influenza A virus
  • Viral Matrix Proteins

Grants and funding

This work was funded by the Medical Counter Measure Initiatives (MCMi), U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.