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Usage Information

NK cells associate with ALS in a sex- and age-dependent manner
Benjamin J. Murdock, Joshua P. Famie, Caroline E. Piecuch, Kristen D. Pawlowski, Faye E. Mendelson, Cole H. Pieroni, Sebastian D. Iniguez, Lili Zhao, Stephen A. Goutman, Eva L. Feldman
Benjamin J. Murdock, Joshua P. Famie, Caroline E. Piecuch, Kristen D. Pawlowski, Faye E. Mendelson, Cole H. Pieroni, Sebastian D. Iniguez, Lili Zhao, Stephen A. Goutman, Eva L. Feldman
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Research Article Immunology Neuroscience

NK cells associate with ALS in a sex- and age-dependent manner

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Abstract

NK cells are innate immune cells implicated in ALS; whether NK cells impact ALS in a sex- and age-specific manner was investigated. Herein, NK cells were depleted in male and female SOD1G93A ALS mice, survival and neuroinflammation were assessed, and data were stratified by sex. NK cell depletion extended survival in female but not male ALS mice with sex-specific effects on spinal cord microglia. In humans, NK cell numbers, NK cell subpopulations, and NK cell surface markers were examined in prospectively blood collected from subjects with ALS and control subjects; longitudinal changes in these metrics were correlated to revised ALS functional rating scale (ALSFRS-R) slope and stratified by sex and age. Expression of NK cell trafficking and cytotoxicity markers was elevated in subjects with ALS, and changes in CXCR3+ NK cells and 7 trafficking and cytotoxicity markers (CD11a, CD11b, CD38, CX3CR1, NKG2D, NKp30, NKp46) correlated with disease progression. Age affected the associations between ALSFRS-R and markers NKG2D and NKp46, whereas sex impacted the NKp30 association. Collectively, these findings suggest that NK cells contribute to ALS progression in a sex- and age-specific manner and demonstrate that age and sex are critical variables when designing and assessing ALS immunotherapy.

Authors

Benjamin J. Murdock, Joshua P. Famie, Caroline E. Piecuch, Kristen D. Pawlowski, Faye E. Mendelson, Cole H. Pieroni, Sebastian D. Iniguez, Lili Zhao, Stephen A. Goutman, Eva L. Feldman

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Usage data is cumulative from December 2024 through December 2025.

Usage JCI PMC
Text version 1,051 295
PDF 153 36
Figure 304 3
Table 203 0
Supplemental data 59 1
Citation downloads 99 0
Totals 1,869 335
Total Views 2,204
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