Open AccessEnhanced natural but diminished antibody‐mediated cytotoxicity in the lungs of MRL lpr/lpr mice
Author(s) -
NILSSON N.,
CARLSTEN H.
Publication year - 1996
Publication title -
clinical & experimental immunology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.329
H-Index - 135
eISSN - 1365-2249
pISSN - 0009-9104
DOI - 10.1046/j.1365-2249.1996.d01-787.x
Subject(s) - immunology , cytotoxicity , antibody , cytolysis , congenic , cytotoxic t cell , natural killer cell , bronchoalveolar lavage , biology , lung , medicine , in vitro , biochemistry , gene
Human systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) patients, as well as MRL lpr/lpr mice which develop a SLE‐like disease, have decreased numbers and functional activity of systemic natural killer (NK) cells. In contrast, it has been found that among lymphocytes recovered from the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid of SLE patients, NK cells were increased in number, correlating with the severity of the lung engagement. The present study was undertaken to assay the capacity for natural killing in the lung compartment of MRL lpr/lpr mice compared with healthy congenic MRL +/+ and heterozygous MRL +/ lpr mice. 51 Cr‐labelled YAC‐1 cells were injected intravenously to settle in the lungs where they were targeted for lysis by NK cells. YAC‐1 cell killing inversely correlated with radioactivity remaining in the lungs after the assay, and was inhibited by antibody to the asialo‐GM1 antigen expressed on NK cells. To analyse the capacity in the lung for cytolysis of non‐NK cell‐sensitive target cells, a similar in vivo 51 Cr‐release assay was set up for antibody‐mediated allospecific cytotoxicity. We demonstrate that MRL lpr/lpr mice throughout their lifespan display significantly increased natural cytotoxic activity in the lungs compared with MRL +/+ and MRL +/ lpr mice, as demonstrated by more efficient killing of YAC‐1 cells. In contrast, antibody‐mediated allospecific cytotoxicity in the lungs was significantly less effective in the MRL lpr/lpr strain.