The PP2A inhibitor SET regulates natural killer cell IFN-γ production

Monokines (i.e., interleukin [IL]-12, -18, and -15) induce natural killer (NK) cells to produce interferon-γ (IFN-γ), which is a critical factor for immune surveillance of cancer and monocyte clearance of infection. We show that SET, which is a potent inhibitor of protein phosphatase type 2A (PP2A) activity, is highly expressed in human CD56(bright) NK cells, which produce more IFN-γ than CD56(dim) NK cells. SET was up-regulated upon monokine stimulation of primary human NK cells. Furthermore, ectopic overexpression of SET significantly enhanced IFN-γ gene expression in monokine-stimulated NK cells. In contrast, RNAi-mediated suppression of SET expression renders NK cells inefficient in producing high levels of IFN-γ in response to monokine costimulation. Mechanistically, suppression of PP2A activity by SET is important for IFN-γ gene expression in NK cells. In fact, treatment of primary human NK cells with the PP2A activator 1,9-dideoxy-forskolin, as well as administration of the drug to C57BL/6 mice, significantly reduced NK-dependent IFN-γ production in response to monokine treatment. Further, SET knockdown or pharmacologic activation of PP2A diminished extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1/2, p65RelA, signal transducer and activator of transduction 4 (STAT4), and STAT5 activity in monokine-stimulated NK cells, potentially contributing to the reduction in IFN-γ gene expression. Thus, SET expression is essential for suppressing PP2A phosphatase activity that would otherwise limit NK cell antitumoral and/or antiinflammatory functions by impairing NK cell production of IFN-γ.