Natural Cytotoxicity of Human Fcγ‐Receptor‐positive T Lymphocytes after Surface Modulation with Immune Complexes

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Abstract
In humans T cells with surface receptors for the Fc fragment of IgG (Fcγ receptors) (TG cells) are effector cells in antibody-dependent cellular Cytotoxicity (ADCC) and in natural cytotoxicity. While Fcγ receptors are required to mediate ADCC, their role in natural cytotoxicity is unknown. To investigate this question, Fcγ receptors on effector cells were modulated by interaction with IgG immune complexes. As a consequence of this modulation, TG cells lost most of their ADCC activity but retained a significant part of their natural killer activity. Thus, these experiments demonstrate that the cytotoxic mechanisms exerted by the same cell population can be dissociated experimentally. Furthermore, they suggest that the net natural cytotoxicity of normal human lymphocytes in certain effector cell-target cell combinations is the result of distinct types of reaction.

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