POTENTIATION OF NATURAL-KILLER CELL-ACTIVITY OF HUMAN-LYMPHOCYTES INVITRO - THE PARTICIPATION OF INTERFERON IN STIMULATION WITH STAPHYLOCOCCUS-AUREUS COWAN-I BACTERIA BUT NOT WITH PROTEIN-A

  • 1 January 1982
    • journal article
    • research article
    • Vol. 45  (4) , 687-695
Abstract
Human natural killer (NK) cell activity was augmented greatly by preincubation with S. aureus Cowan I bacteria (SpA CoI) or its protein A. The question of whether the augmentation with these stimulants is ascribable to the direct activation of NK cells or mediated by some soluble factors produced by the stimulants was studied. A significant amount of interferon (IFN) was produced by the SpA CoI-stimulation but not by the protein A-stimulation, although the latter usually induced augmentation of NK-cell activity not less than SpA CoI-stimulation. IFN produced by SpA CoI was considered to belong to .alpha.-type IFN, because it was stable at pH 2.0 and could be neutralized effectively by anti-IFN.alpha. antibody. Kinetics of NK-cell activation by SpA CoI (but not by protein A) were very similar to those by IFN.alpha.. Augmentation of NK-cell activity with SpA CoI-stimulated supernatant was inhibited almost completely by diluted anti-IFN.alpha. antibody, whereas augmentation with protein A-stimulated supernantant could not be abolished by the same treatment. Augmentation of NK-cell activity with SpA CoI might be ascribable in most part to the IFN induced, whereas protein A can stimulate NK or T cells directly or soluble factors other than IFN might work as well.

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