Activation of natural cytotoxicity of human peripheral blood mononuclear cells by interferon: a kinetic study and comparison of different interferon types

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Abstract
Summary. Overnight incubation of human peripheral blood mononuclear (PBMN) cells with leucocyte interferon (leucocyte IFN) resulted in a 2–5‐fold increase in natural cytotoxicity (NC) against the erythroleukaemic cell line K562. Fibroblast IFN, purified to homogeneity by zinc‐chelate chromatography, stimulated NC to the same extent, while partially purified immune IFN was about twice as active. Upon gel filtration of immune IFN, NC stimulating and antiviral activity co‐eluted. Treatment of PBMN cells with ammonium chloride buffer (AmCl) abrogated NC nearly completely. Incubation of AmCl‐treated cells with leucocyte IFN resulted in a partial regeneration of NC. Kinetic studies revealed that this regeneration required only a short exposure to IFN followed by a longer incubation period. The data are interpreted as indicating that in the process of NC activation IFN mainly acts as a trigger for precursor cells to mature into cells with NC.

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