Biology of T memory type 1 cells

Engagement of inhibitory natural killer (NK) cell receptors for MHC class I molecules (NKR) can impair NK-cell activation programs. Inhibitory NKR thu s confer to NK cells the capacity to discriminate between MHC class I+ and MHC class I- target cells, and are therefore involved in the control of NK- cell tolerance to self, as well as in the elimination of MHC class I- distr essed cells by NK cells. In human and mouse, a subset of alpha beta T cells also express inhibitory NKR at their surface, but the biological function of inhibitory NKR on T cells remains to be precisely elucidated. We refer t o these cells as T memory type 1 (Tm1) cells, and review here the phenotypi c and functional features of this subset of memory-phenotype CD8(+) alpha b eta T cells. in vitro studies suggest that inhibitory NKR are involved in t he peripheral control of T-cell self-tolerance. In vitro and in vivo analys is have revealed a novel biological function for inhibitory NKR when expres sed on T cells. Indeed, engagement of inhibitory NKR on T cells provides th em with survival signals against activation-induced cell death. Thus, sensi ng of self-MHC class I molecules by inhibitory NKR displayed on alpha beta T cells leads to the in vivo accumulation of Tm 1 cells.