IL-15 DCs induce an activated cytotoxic effector phenotype in NK cells and enlarge the proportion of the CD56^bright NK cell subset.

<p>(<b>A</b>) Bar graphs showing the MFI (± SEM) of CD56, CD69, CD25, HLA-DR, NKG2D, NKp30 and NKp46 on unstimulated NK cells ((-), white bars) and NK cells stimulated for 48 hr with autologous IL-15 DCs (grey bars) or IL-4 DCs (dashed bars). Expression levels of the indicated markers are shown for the total CD56⁺ NK cell population, as well as for the CD56^bright and CD56^dim NK cell subpopulations. Data are from one experiment with 6 different donors (*, <i>P</i><0.05; **, <i>P</i>< 0.01; ***, <i>P</i><0.001; ns, not significant). (<b>B</b>) Bar graphs showing the relative distribution of CD56^bright and CD56^dim subsets in unstimulated NK cells ((-)) and in NK cells cultured for 48 hr with IL-15 DCs or IL-4 DCs. Data are expressed as mean (± SEM) percentages of 6 donors from 1 experiment (*, <i>P</i><0.05).