Melanoma surface molecules and NK cell activating receptors involved in the lysis of melanoma cells by autologous NK cells.

<p><b>A:</b> Melanoma cell expression of molecules able to trigger NK cell activity. Representative data are shown for the six melanoma cell lines whose autologous lymphocytes were also available for performing the functional experiments summarized in panel B. Melanoma cells were stained with mAbs against ligands of NKG2D and DNAM-1 and with mAbs against adhesion molecules LFA-3 and ICAM-I. <b>B:</b> Contribution to the lysis by different activating NK cell receptors. Cytotoxic activity of IL-2 activated NK cells from each patient against the autologous melanoma cells was assessed in the presence of anti-DNAM-1, -NKp30, -NKp44, -NKp46 and -NKG2D (black columns) and isotypic control (grey column) mAbs. *: p≤0.05; **: p≤0.01; n.s.: not significant. E/T ratio = 20∶1. Data shown represent mean values of the results obtained from three to six independent experiments.