Natural Killer (NK)/melanoma cell interaction induces NK-mediated release of chemotactic High Mobility Group Box-1 (HMGB1) capable of amplifying NK cell recruitment

In this study we characterize a new mechanism by which Natural Killer (NK) cells may amplify their recruitment to tumors. We show that NK cells, upon interaction with melanoma cells, can release a chemotactic form of High Mobility Group Box-1 (HMGB1) protein capable of attracting additional activated NK cells. We first demonstrate that the engagement of different activating NK cell receptors, including those mainly involved in tumor cell recognition can induce the active release of HMGB1. Then we show that during NK-mediated tumor cell killing two HMGB1 forms are released, each displaying a specific electrophoretic mobility possibly corresponding to a different redox status. By the comparison of normal and perforin-defective NK cells (which are unable to kill target cells) we demonstrate that, in NK/melanoma cell co-cultures, NK cells specifically release an HMGB1 form that acts as chemoattractant, while dying tumor cells passively release a non-chemotactic HMGB1. Finally, we show that Receptor for Advanc...