Antibody‐mediated target cell lysis by non‐immune cells. Characterization of the antibody and effector cell populations

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Abstract
Cells from normal rabbit thymus, lymph node and spleen demonstrated in vitro cytolytic activity when incubated with antibody‐coated target cells. High dilutions of antibody were effective, and the degree of lysis was dependent on the lymphocyte‐target cell ratio. In the spleen, two populations of effector cells were defined – one population consisted of phagocytic cells which were responsible for the onset of initial rapid lysis. A second population of cells, lymphocytes, were responsible for lysis, which proceeded at a slower, but continuous rate. Purified lymph node and thymus cells contained only the latter population. Both effector cell populations required the presence of an intact Fc piece on the target cell‐bound antibody molecule for lysis to proceed. Antibody‐mediated lymphocyte cytotoxicity appeared to be specific and required cell‐to‐cell contact.