Abstract
DURING the last few years, it has become clear that normal individuals have a lymphocyte subpopulation which has the capacity to kill certain in vitro propagated cell lines1–3. The effector cells involved in this kind of cytotoxicity have been designated either natural or spontaneous (SK) killer cells and have mainly been defined using lymphocytes derived from the peripheral blood. It has been shown that the majority of SK cells have receptors for the Fc part of IgG, and that some have receptors for the activated third complement factor (C3), but little is known about the specificity, recognition and effector mechanisms underlying spontaneous cytotoxicity1,3–4. Although the actual biological significance of SK cell cytotoxicity is unclear, it has been proposed that these killer cells act in vivo as surveillor cells against tumour development. We give here evidence in support of this idea, for we have found that SK cells, in a short-term cytotoxicity assay, preferentially kill cell lines derived from leukaemic tumours as compared to cell lines from normal lymphocytes.
This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution
Access options
Subscribe to this journal
Receive 51 print issues and online access
$199.00 per year
only $3.90 per issue
Buy this article
- Purchase on Springer Link
- Instant access to full article PDF
Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Jondal, M. & Pross, H. Int. J. Cancer 15, 596–605 (1975).
Peter, H. H. et al. J. Immun. 116, 342–348 (1976).
West, W. H. et al. J. Immun. 118, 355–361 (1977).
Pross, H., Baines, M. & Jondal, M. Int. J. Cancer 20, 353–358 (1977).
Jondal, M. Scand. J. Immun. 3, 739–747 (1974).
Ruscetti, F. W., Morgan, P. G. & Gallo, R. G. J. Immun. 119, 131–138 (1977).
Nilsson, K. & Ponten, J. Int. J. Cancer 15, 321–341 (1975).
Fialkow, P. J. et al. J. Exp. Med. 138, 89–102 (1973).
Manolov, G. & Manolova, Y. Nature 237, 33–34 (1972).
Zech, L., Haglund, U., Nilsson, K. & Klein, G. Int. J. Cancer 17, 47–56 (1976).
Nilsson, K., Giovanella, B. C., Stehlin, J. S. & Klein, G. Int. J. Cancer 19, 337–344 (1977).
Moore, G. E. & Gerner, R. E. Ann. Surg. 172, 733–739 (1970).
Moore, G. E. & Moore, M. B. N.Y.J. Med. 69, 460–472 (1969).
Svedmyr, E., Deinhardt, F. & Klein, G. Int. J. Cancer 13, 891–903 (1974).
Klein, G. et al. Proc. natn. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 71, 3283–3286 (1974).
Minowada, J., Ohnuma, T. & Moore, G. E. J. natn. Cancer Inst. 49, 891–895 (1972).
Kaplan, J., Shope, T. C. & Peterson, W. D. J. exp. Med. 139, 1070–1076 (1974).
Lozzio, C. B. & Lozzio, B. B. J. natn. Cancer Inst. 50, 535–542 (1973).
Durr, F. E. et al. Int. J. Cancer 6, 436–449 (1970).
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
JONDAL, M., SPINA, C. & TARGAN, S. Human spontaneous killer cells selective for tumour-derived target cells. Nature 272, 62–64 (1978). https://doi.org/10.1038/272062a0
Received:
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/272062a0
This article is cited by
-
Alterations in cytotoxic and phenotypic subsets of natural killer cells in acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS)
Journal of Clinical Immunology (1987)
-
Azathioprine suppression of natural killer activity and antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity in renal transplant recipients
Journal of Clinical Immunology (1984)
-
Herpesvirus-transformed cytotoxic T-cell lines
Nature (1981)
-
HLA-restricted T-cell recognition of Epstein–Barr virus-infected B cells
Nature (1980)
Comments
By submitting a comment you agree to abide by our Terms and Community Guidelines. If you find something abusive or that does not comply with our terms or guidelines please flag it as inappropriate.
