OBJECTIVETo probe matrine acting on natural killer cell (NK) activating receptor NKG2D ligands expression in CML cell line K562 and its underlying molecular mechanism.

METHODSThe expression of NKG2D ligands (major histocompatibility complex class I chain-related molecule A or B (MICA/B), UL16-binding proteins (ULBP) 1, 2, and 3 on K562 cells were analyzed before and after treated with matrine by FCM. The cytotoxic sensitivity of K562 to NK cell was detected by FCM after CFSE staining at different effect-to-target (E/T) cell ratios. The expression of signal transduction and transcriptional activator 3 (STAT3) protein as well as phosphorylated STAT3 (p-STAT3) were detected by western blot.

RESULTSAfter treatment with matrine, ULBP1 and ULBP2 expression, especially ULBP2 on K562 cells significantly increased, with mean fluorescence intensity (MFI) increasing to 615 and 1614 by 220 and 615 in the untreated cells, respectively. There was no significant change for MICA or ULBP3 expression. Matrine enhanced the susceptibility of K562 cells to NK-mediated cell lysis. At the ratio of E/T with 5:1, the proportion of the killed K562 cells increased to 32.8%, 38.1% and 40.5%, respectively (after 0.2, 0.5 and 0.8 mg/ml matrine treatment) by 29.2% in the untreated cells. The phosphorylated STAT3 protein, but not STAT3 protein, was significantly inhibited by matrine treatment in K562 cells.

CONCLUSIONMatrine induced the expression of NKG2D ligands in K562cells and enhanced the cytotoxicity of NK cells against K562, which was closely related to the inhibition of STAT3 activity in K562 cell.