CD161 Antibody – Mouse Monoclonal

Natural killer (NK) cells are lymphocytes that mediate cytotoxicity and secrete cytokines after immune stimulation. Several genes of the C-type lectin superfamily, including the rodent NKRP1 family of glycoproteins, are expressed by NK cells and may be involved in the regulation of NK cell function. The KLRB1 protein contains an extracellular domain with several motifs characteristic of C-type lectins, a transmembrane domain, and a cytoplasmic domain. The KLRB1 protein is classified as a type II membrane protein because it has an external C terminus. [provided by RefSeq, Jul 2008]

KLRB1: Plays an inhibitory role on natural killer (NK) cells cytotoxicity. Activation results in specific acid sphingomyelinase/SMPD1 stimulation with subsequent marked elevation of intracellular ceramide. Activation also leads to AKT1/PKB and RPS6KA1/RSK1 kinases stimulation as well as markedly enhanced T-cell proliferation induced by anti-CD3. Acts as a lectin that binds to the terminal carbohydrate Gal-alpha(1,3)Gal epitope as well as to the N-acetyllactosamine epitope. Binds also to CLEC2D/LLT1 as a ligand and inhibits NK cell-mediated cytotoxicity as well as interferon-gamma secretion in target cells.

Protein type: Membrane protein, integral

Chromosomal Location of Human Ortholog: 12p13

Cellular Component: plasma membrane; integral to membrane

Molecular Function: transmembrane receptor activity; carbohydrate binding

Biological Process: cell surface receptor linked signal transduction