Abstract
NATURAL KILLER (NK) cells constitute a distinct subgroup of cells within the immune system1,2. They are found in the lymphoid organs of several species including man and are cytolytic on contact in short-term in vitro assays for several cell types, in particular tumour cells1–5. Although the level of NK cell activity is under genetic control6,7, several extraneous agents, including bacterial adjuvants, animal viruses and NK-sensitive tumour cells induce an increase in in vivo NK cell activity6–10. Several of these agents are also known to increase the resistance of mice to transplantable tumours. This effect may be mediated by NK cells, as a positive correlation exists between in vivo resistance to syngeneic tumours and the levels of NK cell activity in the individual mice11,12. Viruses as well as several immunoadjuvants are also inducers of interferon. Here we present evidence that interferon and interferon inducers markedly enhance NK cell activity in mice, and suggest that interferon may be the mediator by which many different agents increase NK cell activity in vivo.
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
Herberman, R. B., Nunn, M. E., Holden, H. T. & Lavrin, D. H. Int. J. Cancer 16, 230–239 (1975).
Kiessling, R., Klein, E., Pross, H. & Wigzell, H. Eur. J. Immun. 5, 117–121 (1975).
Nunn, M. E., Djeu, J. Y., Glaser, M., Lavrin, D. H. & Herberman, R. B. J. natn. Cancer Inst. 56, 393–399 (1976).
Pross, H. F. & Jondal, M. Clin. exp. Immun. 21, 226–235 (1975).
West, W. H., Cannon, G. B., Kay, H. D., Bonnard, G. D. & Herberman, R. B. J. Immun. 118, 355–361 (1977).
Kiessling, R., Klein, E. & Wigzell, H. Eur. J. Immun. 5, 112–117 (1975).
Herberman, R. B., Nunn, M. E. & Lavrin, D. H. Int. J. Cancer 16, 216–229 (1975).
Herberman, R. B., Nunn, M. E., Holden, H. T., Steel, S. & Djeu, N. Y. Int. J. Cancer 19, 555–564 (1977).
Wolfe, S. A., Tracey, D. E. & Henney, C. S. Nature 262, 584–586 (1976).
Welsh, R. M. & Zinkernagel, R. M. Nature 268, 646–648 (1977).
Kiessling, R., Petranyi, G., Klein, G. & Wigzell, H. Int. J. Cancer 15, 933–940 (1975).
Haller, O., Hansson, M., Kiessling, R. & Wigzell, H. Nature 270, 609–611 (1977).
Kiessling, R. et al. J. exp. Med. 143, 772–780 (1976).
Wigzell, H. Scand. J. Immun. 5, Suppl. 5 (1976).
Gresser, I., Fontaine-Brouty-Boyé, D., Bourali, C. & Thomas, M-T. Proc. Soc. exp. Biol. Med. 130, 236–242 (1969).
Gresser, I., Tovey, M. G., Bandu, M-T. & Brouty-Boyé, D. J. exp. Med. 144, 1305–1315 (1976).
Gresser, I., Maury, C., Bandu, M-T., Tovey, M. G. & Maunoury, M. T. Int. J. Cancer 21, 72–77 (1978).
Ojo, E., Haller, O., Kimura, A. & Wigzell, H. Int. J. Cancer (in the press).
Schultz, R., Papametheakis, J. & Chirigos, M. Science 197, 674–676 (1977).
Tovey, M., Begon-Lours, J. & Gresser, I. Proc. Soc. exp. Biol. Med. 146, 809–815 (1974).
Gresser, I., Bourali, C., Lévy, J-P., Fontaine-Brouty-Boyé, D. & Thomas, M-T. Proc. natn. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 63, 51–57 (1969).
Gresser, I. in Cancer—A Comprehensive Treatise (ed. Becker F.) 521–571 (Plenum, New York, 1977).
Strander, H. et al. in Modulation of Host Immune Resistance in the Prevention of Treatment of Induced Neoplasias 377–381 (Fogarty Int. Center Proc., no. 28) (U.S. Government Printing Office, Washington DC, 1977).
Gresser, I., Maury, C. & Brouty-Boyé, D. Nature 239, 167–168 (1972).
Lindahl-Magnusson, P., Leary, P. & Gresser, I. Nature new Biol. 113, 120–121 (1972).
Lindahl, P., Leary, P. & Gresser, I. Proc. natn. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 69, 721–725 (1972).
Johnsson, H. M. & Baron, S. CRC Crit. Rev. Biochem. 4, 203–277 (1976).
De Maeyer, E., De Maeyer-Guignard, J. & Vandeputte, M. Proc. natn. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 72, 1753–1759 (1975).
Gresser, I. Cell. Immun. 34, 406–415 (1977).
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
GIDLUND, M., ÖRN, A., WIGZELL, H. et al. Enhanced NK cell activity in mice injected with interferon and interferon inducers. Nature 273, 759–761 (1978). https://doi.org/10.1038/273759a0
Received:
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/273759a0
This article is cited by
-
Regulation of antiviral T cell responses by type I interferons
Nature Reviews Immunology (2015)
-
Poly (I:C), an agonist of toll-like receptor-3, inhibits replication of the Chikungunya virus in BEAS-2B cells
Virology Journal (2012)
-
NK cell development, homeostasis and function: parallels with CD8+ T cells
Nature Reviews Immunology (2011)
-
Cancer Immunotherapy and Nanomedicine
Pharmaceutical Research (2011)
-
Interferon-alpha-associated presumed ocular sarcoidosis
Graefe's Archive for Clinical and Experimental Ophthalmology (2009)
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.