Use of Mutant JurkatT Cell Lines to Define Human Natural Killer Cell Surface Receptor Signaling Pathways

Natural killer (NK) cells and T lymphocytes are derived from a common progenitor cell (1 ). This common origin is reflected in mature cells of both lineages: T and NK cells express cell surface receptors utilizing shared signaling chains that couple to similar signal transduction pathways. Genetic approaches to define NK cell receptor signaling pathways are hampered by the limited lifespan of cultured NK cells. We have therefore employed the immortalized human T cell line Jurkat and somatic mutants derived from this cell line as tools for genetic studies of NK cell-receptor signaling pathways.