Activated CD3-CD16+ Natural Killer Cells Express a Subset of the Lymphokine Genes Induced in Activated alphabeta+ and gammaomega+ T cells

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Abstract
In this study we analysed the potential of highly purified polyclonal TcR alpha beta+, TcR gamma delta + and CD3- NK cells, to produce lymphokines in response to mitogenic stimulation. RNA hybridizations were performed to detect with high sensitivity the induction of multiple lymphokine genes. Upon stimulation with lectin and phorbol ester TcR gamma delta + lymphocytes expressed the same set of lymphokine genes as the TcR alpha beta + lymphocytes expressed the same set of lymphokine genes as the TcR alpha beta + lymphocytes, which included IL-2, -3, -4, -5, GM-CSF, TNF alpha and beta, IFN gamma. In contrast, a more limited set of lymphokine genes (GM-CSF, TNF alpha and beta, IFN gamma) was induced in activated CD3- NK cells, thus indicating that this subpopulation of cells may display different regulatory functions, with respect to CD3+ T lymphocytes.

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