Cutting Edge: Ly9 (CD229), a SLAM Family Receptor, Negatively Regulates the Development of Thymic Innate Memory-like CD8+ T and Invariant NKT Cells

Abstract

Signaling lymphocytic activation molecule family receptors and the specific adapter signaling lymphocytic activation molecule–associated protein modulate the development of innate-like lymphocytes. In this study, we show that the thymus of Ly9-deficient mice contains an expanded population of CD8 single-positive cells with the characteristic phenotype of innate memory-like CD8+ T cells. Moreover, the proportion of these innate CD8+ T cells increased dramatically postinfection with mouse CMV. Gene expression profiling of Ly9-deficient mice thymi showed a significant upregulation of IL-4 and promyelocytic leukemia zinc finger. Analyses of Ly9−/−IL4ra−/− double-deficient mice revealed that IL-4 was needed to generate the thymic innate CD8+ T cell subset. Furthermore, increased numbers of invariant NKT cells were detected in Ly9-deficient thymi. In wild-type mice, IL-4 levels induced by α-galactosylceramide injection could be inhibited by a mAb against Ly9. Thus, Ly9 plays a unique role as an inhibitory cell surface receptor regulating the size of the thymic innate CD8+ T cell pool and the development of invariant NKT cells.