EFFECT OF VARIOUS INTERFERONS ON THE SPONTANEOUS CYTO-TOXICITY EXERTED BY LYMPHOCYTES FROM NORMAL AND TUMOR-BEARING PATIENTS

  • 1 January 1981
    • journal article
    • research article
    • Vol. 41  (1) , 294-299
Abstract
Natural killer cell activity, which represents the spontaneous cytotoxicity of lymphocytes toward tumor cells, was measured in 173 tumor-bearing patients and 25 healthy volunteers; no significant difference was found in mean natural killer cell activity between the 2 groups. The parameters of interferon-induced activation of natural killer cells were studied to provide a suitable test for monitoring the effect of interferon in clinical trials. The 3 interferons tested (leukocyte, lymphoblastoid and fibroblast) were equally active in inducing spontaneous cytotoxicity of lymphocytes from all healthy individuals and tumor-bearing patients studied. Incubation for 1 h with 100 U of interferon was sufficient to increase spontaneous cytotoxicity activity, the maximum effect being obtained when lymphocytes were incubated with 1000 U of any of the interferons used. This effect was blocked with the appropriate antiinterferon sera. The target cells for interferon seem to be positive Fc.gamma. receptor lymphocytes.