Engagement of the leukocyte-associated Ig-like receptor-1 induces programmed cell death and prevents NF-kappa B nuclear translocation in human myeloid leukemias

Leukocyte-associated Ig-like receptor-1 (LAIR-1) is a surface molecule that functions as an inhibitory receptor on natural killer cells, T lymphocytes and monocytes. Here, we provide evidence that occupancy of LAIR-1 on human myelomonocytic leukemic cell lines inhibits proliferation and leads to pro grammed cell death (PCD), evaluated by propidium iodide staining and transm ission electron microscopy. Interestingly, PCD elicited via LAIR-1 was not blocked by different caspase inhibitors, at variance with apoptosis induced via CD95/Pas, which was prevented by the caspase-1 and caspase-8 specific inhibitors. In addition, we show that the p65 subunit of the nuclear factor kappaB (NF-kappaB), constitutively expressed in the nucleus of these cell lines, was retained in the cytoplasm upon engagement of LAIR-I. This was ev ident already 8 h after LAIR-1 occupancy, when apoptosis was not yet detect able by fluorometric or ultrastructural analysis. Moreover, a reduction in inhibitor kappaB alpha phosphorylation was observed after LAIR-1 engagement . As blocking of NF-kappaB activation has been shown to rescue sensitivity to anti-cancer drugs in solid tumors, we suggest that LAIR-1 may represent a possible target for pharmacological approaches aimed to potentiate anti-l eukemic therapy.