DIRECTED RETROVIRAL INFECTION OF NKG2D⁺ MURINE NATURAL KILLER CELLS BY DISPLAYING THE NKG2D LIGAND RAE-1y ON THE VIRUS SURFACE

Abstract

Natural Killer (NK) cells are unique in having the ability to lyse both virally infected cells and tumor cells unrestricted by the major histocompatibility complex (MHC). Given their promise as a therapeutic tool, studying their biology through expressing or repressing genes, would greatly enhance our understanding of these cells and how to use them for clinical purposes. As NK cells are extremely difficult to genetically engineer, the goal of this research project was to create targeted retroviral particles that were capable of increasing transduction of NKG2D⁺ NK cells over nontargeted retroviral particles. To achieve this goal, we generated retroviral particles containing RAE-1y, a ligand for the NK cell receptor NKG213. Using this method, we were able to test the hypothesis that expressing an NK. receptor ligand on retroviral particles would increase the infection efficiency of NKG2D⁺ NK cells. Our results demonstrated that expressing the RAE-1y ligand in the cells producing retroviral particles did not increase the efficiency of NK cell retroviral infection.