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Heterogeneity and Mechanism of Action of Human Natural Killer Lymphocytes: Differential Distribution of Receptors for Helix pomatia Haemagglutinin (HP Receptors)
Author(s) -
PAPE G. R.,
TROYE M.,
PERLMANN P.
Publication year - 1979
Publication title -
scandinavian journal of immunology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.934
H-Index - 88
eISSN - 1365-3083
pISSN - 0300-9475
DOI - 10.1111/j.1365-3083.1979.tb03265.x
Subject(s) - cytotoxicity , receptor , microbiology and biotechnology , helix pomatia , antibody , biology , fc receptor , natural killer cell , immunoglobulin fc fragments , immunoglobulin g , immunology , biochemistry , in vitro , ecology , snail
Neuraminidase‐treated lymphocytes from the peripheral blood of normal human donors were fractionated on columns charged with Helix pomatia haemagglutinin (HP) coupled to Sepharose 4B. While lymphocytes lacking HP receptors (HP ‐ ) passed directly through the column (fraction I), lymphocytes with HP receptors (HP + ) were subsequently eluted in two distinct tractions with two different concentrations of the competitive hapten N‐acetyl‐D‐galactosamine (fraction II and III. respectively). The natural cytotoxicity of these lymphocytes to various tumour target cells (K562, T24, MANO, HCV29) was tested in a 51 Cr release assay. Natural cytotoxicity was found in all three fractions recovered from the HP columns. In general, the cytotoxicity of the lymphocytes in fractions I and II was significantly enhanced over that of the unfractionated lymphocytes. Surface marker analysis and fractionation studies indicated that natural cytotoxicity in these target systems is exerted by both HP + and HP ‐ lymphocytes bearing Fc receptors for IgG. Since the HP receptor is considered to be a marker of T lymphocytes, the findings suggest that a significant fraction of these NK cells may be of T‐cell lineage. The surface marker profiles of these NK cells are very similar to those of antibody‐dependent K cells. Addition of Fab fragments of immunoadsorbent‐purified rabbit antibodies to human immunoglobulin inhibited the natural cytotoxicity of HP‐column‐fractionated lymphocytes to various degrees, indicating that pan but not all of it reflects antibody‐dependent K‐cell reactions. Since cytotoxicity in all three HP fractions was inhibitable in this way, the results suggest that immunoglobulin‐dependent natural cytotoxicity may be displayed by both HP + and HP ‐ effector cells.