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[Immunological studies on chronic active Epstein-Barr virus infection in children--low spontaneous cytotoxicity and lymphokine augmented spontaneous cytotoxicity against Raji cells].

Spontaneous cytotoxicity and lymphokine augmented spontaneous cytotoxicity against Raji cells were tested in 7 patients with chronic active Epstein-Barr virus infection in childhood. The results were as follows: Spontaneous cytotoxicity, tested by 4 hr assay, was 6.6 +/- 5.1% (mean +/- SD) in the patients and 13.9 +/- 9.6% in the controls, and the differences were statistically significant. Spontaneous cytotoxicity, tested by 18 hr assay, in the patients was as high as in controls. Recombinant interferon alpha and OK-432 augmented spontaneous cytotoxicity, tested by 4 hr assay, were 9.4 +/- 6.1% and 9.9 +/- 5.4% in the patients, and 21.0 +/- 10.9% and 24.2 +/- 13.3% in the controls, and the differences were statistically significant. Recombinant interferon alpha and OK-432 augmented spontaneous cytotoxicity, tested by 18 hr assay, were as high in the patients as in controls. Recombinant interleukin 2 (rIL-2) augmented spontaneous cytotoxicity, tested by 4 hr assay, was 14.1 +/- 6.8% in the patients and 28.9 +/- 13.7% in the controls, and the differences were statistically significant. Though differences were not significant, rIL-2 augmented spontaneous cytotoxicity, tested by 18 hr assay, was lower in the patients than in controls. The grade of augmentation of spontaneous cytotoxicity by lymphokines, tested by 4 hr assay, was also low in the patients, but no differences were observed except in the case of rIL-2 when spontaneous cytotoxicity was tested by 18 hr assay. These results suggest that a longer incubation time was required in lytic kinetics of spontaneous cytotoxicity and lymphokine augmented spontaneous cytotoxicity in the patients with chronic active Epstein-Barr virus infection.

Child↗

Natural cytotoxicity of human blood monocytes and natural killer cells and their cytotoxic factors: discriminating effects of actinomycin D.

The effect of actinomycin D on target susceptibility to human blood natural killer (NK) cells and monocytes was analysed in direct cell-mediated and their cytotoxic factor-mediated cytotoxicity assays. Treatment of K562 cells with actinomycin D reduced their susceptibility to lysis by non-adherent lymphocytes and Percoll-purified large granular lymphocytes (LGL) in a 4-hr 51Cr-release assay, without affecting their sensitivity to monocytes purified by adherence to autologous serum-coated plastic surfaces. The drug treatment caused no shift in the kinetics of cytotoxicity. In the target binding assay LGL formed fewer conjugates with actinomycin-D-treated K562 cells than with untreated ones, while the binding of monocytes to targets was not reduced by the drug treatment of K562 cells. The cold target competition assay revealed that actinomycin-D-treated cold K562 cells showed less successful inhibition than untreated cold K562 cells. Lymphocytes and monocytes could be induced to release soluble cytotoxic factors, termed natural killer cytotoxic factors (NKCF) and monocyte cytotoxic factors (MCF), respectively, when co-cultured with K562 cells. Both cytotoxic factors lysed NK-sensitive target cells in a 48-hr assay. Actinomycin-D-treated K562 cells reduced or abolished the ability to stimulate the release of NKCF from lymphocytes, whereas they induced MCF secretion from monocytes as effectively as untreated ones. On the other hand, actinomycin D treatment of K562 cells enhanced their susceptibility to NKCF and MCF. This actinomycin-D-induced augmentation of target sensitivity to the cytotoxic factors was restricted to NK-sensitive target cells (K562 and Molt-4). NK-resistant target cells (Raji, YAC-I, EL4 and T blasts) were not lysed by NKCF and MCF even after they were treated with actinomycin D. The capacity of K562 cells to bind NKCF and MCF was not altered by actinomycin D. Treatment of the adherent cell population with OKMI or Leu-MI plus complement abrogated both cell-mediated cytotoxicity and MCF production, while Leu-IIb plus complement was ineffective. These results suggest that the effect of actinomycin-D treatment can be used to distinguish the two distinct types of blood mononuclear cells with natural cytotoxicity, NK cells and monocytes, and that each effector type recognizes different plasma membrane moieties of NK target cells, although the cytotoxic factors released from each effector cell similarly bind to and lyse the target cells.

Animals↗

Lectin-dependent and anti-CD3 induced cytotoxicity are preferentially mediated by peripheral blood cytotoxic T lymphocytes expressing Leu-7 antigen.

Monoclonal antibodies against the CD3 antigen and certain lectins can induce interleukin 2 dependent antigen-specific T cell clones to mediate non-antigen specific cytotoxicity. On the basis of this observation, we predicted that it may be possible to identify cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTL) in peripheral blood without knowing the antigen specificity of these in vivo primed CTL. By using this strategy, peripheral blood lymphocytes were separated into low and high-density fractions on Percoll gradients and were tested for cytotoxic activity in the presence or absence of concanavalin A (Con A) or anti-Leu-4 antibody. Lectin-dependent cellular cytotoxicity (LDCC) and anti-CD3 induced cytotoxicity against both natural killer (NK)-insensitive and NK-sensitive targets were exclusively mediated by low-density CD3+ T lymphocytes. Additional studies indicated that low-density CD3+ T lymphocytes co-expressing Leu-7 antigen preferentially mediated this activity, although in some individuals, significant activity was also observed in the low-density T cells lacking Leu-7. In contrast, high-density CD3+ T lymphocytes and CD16+ (Leu-11+) NK cells (both Leu-7 and Leu-7+) did not mediate nonantigen-specific cytotoxicity under these conditions. The finding that NK cell-mediated cytotoxicity was unaffected by these lectins refutes the hypothesis that lectin-dependent cellular cytotoxicity is simply a result of effector and target agglutination. T cell-mediated cytotoxicity was both lectin and antibody specific. Phytohemagglutinin, Con A, and pokeweed mitogen induced cytolytic activity in the Leu-7+ T cells, whereas wheat germ agglutinin did not. Of the antibodies against T cell-associated differentiation antigens (anti-Leu-2,3,4, and 5), only anti-Leu-4 induced cytotoxicity. This anti-CD3-induced cytotoxicity was essentially completely inhibited by the presence of anti-LFA-1 or anti-CD2 monoclonal antibodies, implicating these molecules in the triggering process. A proportion of the CD3+, Leu-7+ CTL expressed HLA-DR antigens, indicating possible in vivo activation. Because previous clinical studies have indicated that lymphocytes with this phenotype may be elevated in clinical situations associated with immunosuppression and chronic viral infection, this unique subset of CD3+ T lymphocytes may represent a population of in vivo primed CTL possibly against viral antigens.

Antibodies, Monoclonal↗

Activation of macrophage tumor cytotoxicity by the synergism of two T cell-derived lymphokines: immune interferon (IFN-gamma) and macrophage cytotoxicity-inducing factor 2 (MCIF2).

This report describes the role of T cell-derived lymphokines in induction of macrophage (M phi) tumor cytotoxicity. M phi tumor cytotoxicity was tested with the murine M phi-like tumor PU5-1.8. This M phi-like tumor reacts to stimulation with T cell-derived lymphokines and shows tumor cytotoxicity comparable to resident peritoneal M phi. The experiments demonstrate that immune interferon (IFN-gamma) secreted by T cell clones in limiting dilution microcultures was insufficient to induce M phi tumor cytotoxicity. Induction of M phi tumor cytotoxicity by T cell-derived supernatants with quantities of IFN-gamma undetectable in the IFN assay, however, was completely inhibited by an antiserum raised against recombinant IFN-gamma. Taken together, these results could be thus explained: (a) a T cell-derived lymphokine distinct from but serologically cross-reactive with IFN-gamma induces M phi tumor cytotoxicity, and (b) IFN-gamma activity in supernatants positive for induction of M phi tumor cytotoxicity escapes detection in the IFN assay but can still be inhibited by the anti-IFN-gamma antiserum in the M phi tumor cytotoxicity assay. The latter explanation requires positive evidence for another T cell-derived lymphokine inducing M phi tumor cytotoxicity together with IFN-gamma. This lymphokine was found in the supernatant of T cells in limiting dilution cultures and a long-term T cell clone and was called M phi cytotoxicity-inducing factor 2 (MCIF2). MCIF2 synergizes with IFN-gamma in induction of M phi tumor cytotoxicity; IFN-gamma and MCIF2 alone were ineffective.

Animals↗

In vitro cell-mediated cytotoxicity in primary biliary cirrhosis and chronic hepatitis. Dysfunction of spontaneous cell-mediated cytotoxicity in primary biliary cirrhosis.

The in vitro cytotoxic function and target cell specificity of peripheral blood lymphocytes from selected patients with primary biliary cirrhosis and hepatitis B surface antigen-negative chronic hepatitis were investigated using 51Cr-labeled human Chang and EL-4 mouse sarcoma cell targets in assays of spontaneous cell-mediated cytotoxicity (SCMC) and mitogen-induced cellular cytotoxicity (MICC). In addition, antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity (ADCC) against Chang cells was assessed. At an effector-to-target cell ration of 100:1, the mean SCMC against Chang cells was much less in patients with primary biliary cirrhosis than that in either the controls (P less than 0.001) or the patients with chronic hepatitis (P less than 0.005) whereas the value for patients with chronic hepatitis did not differ significantly from that of the controls. The mean SCMC against EL-4 mouse sarcoma cells was also less in patients with primary biliary cirrhosis than in controls (P less than 0.005) whereas the value for chronic hepatitis was not significantly different from that of the controls or patients with primary biliary cirrhosis. In contrast, MICC against both targets and ADCC against Chang cells were similar for each group. Comparison of SCMC and MICC against both target cells, measured simultaneously, showed similar cytotoxic potenital against both target cells for each group. Effector cells capable of mediating cytotoxicity in each assay were defined by testing the cytotoxic function of lymphocyte subpopulations isolated from two representative patients with each disease using techniques of immunoabsorbent affinity chromatography and Fc receptor binding to antigen-antibody complexes. In both primary biliary cirrhosis and chronic hepatitis SCMC and ADCC were mediated by a subpopulation of lymphocytes which lack surface immunoglobulin (sIg-) and bear Fc receptors (Fc+). In contrast, MICC was mediated by sIg- cells which lack Fc receptors. Lymphocytes bearing sIg- were not cytotoxic in any assay. These results establish a difference in cytotoxic function in primary biliary cirrhosis and chronic hepatitis by defining the presence of a defect in spontaneous cytotoxic function of sIg-, Fc+ lymphocytes against Chang cells in primary biliary cirrhosis.

Adult↗

Identification of a human T cell clone with the cytotoxic T lymphocyte and natural killer-like cytotoxic function against autologous mammary carcinoma and K562 line.

Pleural exudative lymphocytes (PLEL) from a 60-year-old female patient showed high cytotoxicity against the autologous mammary tumor line, HMC-2, and NK-susceptible K562 cells, although PLEL demonstrated only weak cytotoxic potentials against several allogeneic tumor lines. We successfully obtained seven cytotoxic T cell clones from PLEL bulk populations, and assessed the possibility that these lymphocytes are simply natural killer (NK)-like cells or have the dual cytotoxic activity of cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTL) and NK-like cells. These clones, designated as TcHMC-2, showed strong cytotoxicity against both HMC-2 and K562 cells. In contrast, allogeneic human peripheral blood-derived NK cells could not kill HMC-2 targets. Furthermore, a blocking study of TcHMC-2 cytotoxicity using monoclonal antibodies against CD3, CD8 and human MHC class I products showed that all of these antigen molecules were involved in the cytotoxicity of TcHMC-2 clone against autologous HMC-2 cells, indicating MHC class I recognitive cytotoxicity. These data indicate that the TcHMC-2 clone may have dual cytotoxicity with CTL- and NK-like activity against autologous HMC-2 mammary tumor and K562 cells, respectively.

Antibodies, Monoclonal↗

Cellular and humoral in vitro cytotoxicity against autologous bladder tumor cells in humans. Differences in autologous cytotoxicity against non-invasive and invasive transitional-cell tumors of the urinary bladder.

Lymphocyte-mediated cytotoxicity (LMC), antibody-dependent cell-mediated cytotoxicity (ADCC) and complement-dependent cytotoxicity (CDC) were measured in a 51Cr assay against autologous tumor cells from 7 patients with non-invasive and 9 patients with invasive transitional-cell tumors of the urinary bladder (TCC). Cytotoxicity against the invasive tumor cells were demonstrated in CDC. Heat-inactivation of sera lead to complete loss of cytotoxicity while addition of allogenic serum restored cytotoxicity. The cytotoxicity of allogenic sera from controls against invasive tumor targets showed no differences when compared with autologous sera. No or very weak cytotoxicity was found against non-invasive tumor targets in autologous or allogenic assays. LMC and ADCC showed weak or no reactivities. Intensive wash or trypsinization of effector cells did not affect the cytotoxicity in LMC. The results indicate the occurrence of complement-dependent antibodies directed against target cells from invasive tumors of the urinary bladder while no cytotoxic responses were detectable when the target cells originated from non-invasive tumors.

Adult↗

Prospective study of cytotoxic T lymphocyte responses to influenza and antibodies to human T lymphotropic virus-III in homosexual men. Selective loss of an influenza-specific, human leukocyte antigen-restricted cytotoxic T lymphocyte response in human T lymphotropic virus-III positive individuals with symptoms of acquired immunodeficiency syndrome and in a patient with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome.

Peripheral blood leukocytes (PBL) from 18 homosexual men who did not have acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) and from 9 heterosexual men were repetitively tested for their ability to generate HLA self-restricted cytotoxic T lymphocyte responses to influenza virus (flu-self) over a 2-yr period. The sera of the same donors were tested for antibodies to human T lymphotropic virus-III (HTLV-III). Six of the homosexual and none of the heterosexual donors consistently generated weak cytotoxic T lymphocyte responses to flu-self. Seven of the homosexual and none of the heterosexual donors were seropositive for antibodies to HTLV-III. No obvious correlation was detected between weak flu-self cytotoxic T lymphocyte responses and antibodies to HTLV-III. However, one homosexual donor generated no detectable cytotoxic T lymphocyte activity to flu-self, although he was a strong responder to HLA-alloantigens. This donor had an OKT4:OKT8 ratio of 0.4 and was seropositive for HTLV-III antigens; HTLV-III virus was identified in his PBL; and he developed AIDS during the course of this study. A second donor with lymphadenopathy and who was seropositive for HTLV-III antigens exhibited marginal cytotoxic T lymphocyte activity to flu-self which he subsequently lost. PBL from two patients, one with Kaposi's sarcoma and one with generalized lymphadenopathy, were also tested for cytotoxic T lymphocyte responses to flu-self and to alloantigens. Both donors failed to generate cytotoxic T lymphocyte to flu-self, but generated strong cytotoxic T lymphocyte responses to alloantigens. The selective loss of an HLA-restricted cytotoxic T lymphocyte response without loss of HLA alloantigenic cytotoxic T lymphocyte activity may be an important functional immunologic characteristic in the development of AIDS.

Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome↗

Two distinct mechanisms of cytotoxicity mediated by herpes simplex virus-specific CD4+ human cytotoxic T cell clones.

The present study was undertaken to elucidate the mechanisms responsible for the cytotoxicity of herpes simplex virus (HSV)-specific CD4+ human cytotoxic T lymphocyte (CTL) clones, focusing on perforin and membrane-bound lymphotoxin (LT) (tumor necrosis factor-beta). Two HSV-specific CD4+ CTL clones, which expressed both perforin and membrane-bound LT, exerted HSV-specific cytotoxicity and cytotoxicity against LT-sensitive L929 cells. These CD4+ CTL clones lysed HSV-infected cells directly in an HLA class II-restricted manner and did not exhibit "bystander killing." The culture supernatants of these clones stimulated with HSV antigen showed no cytotoxicity against HSV-infected cells or L929 cells, suggesting that adhesion to target cells is essential to their antigen-specific and antigen-nonspecific cytotoxicities. The cytotoxicities of these clones against HSV-infected autologous cells were inhibited by an anti-CD3 monoclonal antibody but not by an anti-LT antibody. Conversely, their cytotoxicities against L929 cells appeared to be partially inhibited by the anti-LT antibody but not by the anti-CD3 monoclonal antibody. Furthermore, target cell DNA fragmentation induced by these CD4+ CTL clones was apparently observed in L929 cells but only faintly detected in HSV-infected autologous cells. L929 cell DNA fragmentation was also inhibited by adding the anti-LT antibody to CD4+ CTL cultures. These data suggest that some CD4+ CTL possess at least two cytolytic mediators, i.e., perforin and membrane-bound LT simultaneously, and can exert both antigen-specific cytotoxicity via two distinct mechanisms, necrosis and apoptosis.

Antibodies, Monoclonal↗

The role of cytotoxic macrophages in non-obese diabetic mice: cytotoxicity against murine mastocytoma and beta-cell lines.

The cytotoxicity of macrophages from non-obese diabetic (NOD) mice against murine mastocytoma (P-815), and murine beta-cell lines having the NOD gene background (MIN6N-9a), were examined. Peritoneal exudate cells from 20-week-old mice showed higher cytotoxicity, measured as inhibition of thymidine uptake into P-815, than those from 12-week-old mice (p < 0.01). In cyclophosphamide-injected mice, cytotoxicity of peritoneal exudate cells had increased at 8 days post-injection, at which time the mice were not diabetic. To confirm macrophage cytotoxicity against pancreatic cells and examine its cytolytic mechanism, the cytotoxicity of peritoneal exudate cells from cyclophosphamide-injected NOD mice against MIN6N-9a cells was measured by the chromium release assay. These peritoneal exudate cells showed higher cytotoxicity as compared to those of saline-injected mice (p < 0.001). Macrophages were demonstrated to be the major component of peritoneal exudate cells (50%) by flowcytometric analyses. Cytotoxicity increased with macrophage enrichment by adhesion (p < 0.01). Furthermore, a macrophage toxin, silica, completely blocked the cytotoxicity (p < 0.001). Cytokines (interleukin 1 and tumour necrosis factor) and a nitric-oxide-producing vasodilator, sodium nitroprusside, were cytotoxic to MIN6N-9a cells but only sodium nitroprusside showed cytotoxicity when incubated for the same period as peritoneal exudate cells. Thus, macrophages play an important role in beta-cell destruction and soluble factors other than cytokines (e.g. nitric oxide) may be mediators of this early cytolytic process.

Aging↗

Induction of cytotoxic effector activity in the HL-60 promyelocytic cell line by incubation with phorbol myristate acetate: a model system of human spontaneous monocyte-mediated cytotoxicity.

In an attempt to develop a constant and reproducible in vitro system for a detailed analysis of cytotoxic effector mechanisms of nonimmune mononuclear phagocytes, the HL-60 promyelocytic cell line was studied for its cytotoxic action on chicken erythrocyte target cells. HL-60 cells cultured in complete medium were found to be noncytotoxic for chicken erythrocytes in an 18-hr 51Cr-release assay. These cells have been shown to acquire several characteristics of mature macrophages upon incubation with phorbol myristate acetate (PMA), and when PMA was included in the medium during the assay, the HL-60 cells became strongly cytotoxic to the target cells in the absence of exogenous antibody, lectin, or serum complement. Freshly isolated peripheral blood monocytes also became cytotoxic in the presence of PMA, whereas peripheral blood lymphocytes and the U937 histiocytic cell line did not. Detectable target lysis was observed between 4 and 8 hr after HL-60 stimulation with PMA, and HL-60 cells prestimulated with PMA for 24 hr retained their cytotoxic activity following washing and assay in PMA-free medium. Cytotoxic HL-60 cells developed after exposure to 10(-6) to 10(-9) M PMA, and significant target cell lysis occurred at effector:target cell ratios as low as 0.5:1. The PMA-induced HL-60-mediated cytotoxic response was markedly inhibited by blockers of protein synthesis, inhibition of microfilament function, and depletion of cellular superoxide and hydrogen peroxide. Interestingly, cytotoxicity of HL-60 cells for chicken erythrocyte targets was modulated by the direct addition of certain simple saccharides to the assay in a fashion similar to that observed with spontaneously cytotoxic mononuclear cells from several vertebrate and invertebrate species. Thus, the cytolytic effector function induced in HL-60 cells by incubation with PMA presents a useful model for the study of cellular cytotoxic mechanisms as well as the mechanisms utilized by nonimmune cells in the recognition of non-self.

Animals↗

Macrophage-mediated cytotoxicity: role of a soluble macrophage cytotoxic factor similar to lymphotoxin and tumor necrosis factor.

Guinea pig peritoneal macrophages, when activated for cytotoxicity by the calcium ionophore A23187 or lipopolysaccharide, produce a cytotoxic factor [macrophage cytotoxic factor (M phi-CF)] that is not blocked by catalase or protease inhibitors. Fractionation of culture supernates containing M phi-CF by gel filtration revealed one peak of cytotoxic activity of Mr approximately 45,000, the same as guinea pig lymphotoxin (LT). Antiserum prepared against purified guinea pig LT completely neutralized the cytotoxic activity of M phi-CF. In addition, the cytotoxic factor in guinea pig tumor necrosis serum was found to have a Mr of 45,000 and was neutralized by anti-LT. Thus, M phi-CF is physicochemically and immunochemically similar to LT and tumor necrosis factor, if not identical. To investigate the role of M phi-CF in macrophage-mediated cytotoxicity, anti-LT was added to A23187- or lipopolysaccharide-activated macrophages before addition of L-929 target cells. In 10 of 16 experiments, the inhibition of macrophage-mediated cytotoxicity was 100%. In the others, cytotoxicity was blocked partially, the lowest inhibition being 49%. The effectiveness of inhibition appeared to be inversely related to the intensity of macrophage activation. These results indicate that M phi-CF plays a significant role in macrophage-mediated cytotoxicity but involvement of another mechanism cannot be excluded.

Animals↗

Induction of cytotoxic lymphocytes by protein A derived from Staphylococcus aureus. I. Protein-A-induced, protein-A-dependent cytotoxicity of T lymphocytes against human lymphoblastoid cell lines.

Protein A (pA) from Staphylococcus aureus is known to be a good mitogen for human T lymphocytes. In this study, the cytotoxic activity of pA-activated lymphocytes was assessed using human lymphoblastoid cell lines (LCL) as target cells. pA induced higher cytotoxic activity against LCL on the 3rd day of incubation than phytohemagglutinin or concanavalin A. However, it was necessary for pA to be present in the assay for these pA-activated lymphocytes to manifest their cytotoxicity. Cytotoxic activity was not detected in a control culture in which pA was added at the assay, nor was it detected in the supernate of pA-activated culture. These data suggest that the cytotoxicity of these lymphocytes was pA-activated, pA-dependent cell-mediated cytotoxicity, pA-activated, pA-dependent cytotoxicity was mediated by T lymphocytes and was induced from Fc-receptor-negative [Fc(-)] T lymphocytes. The effector cells were mainly Fc(-) T lymphocytes. The relationship between pA-activated, pA-dependent cytotoxicity, lectin-dependent cellular cytotoxicity and alloantigen-induced cytotoxic T lymphocytes is also discussed.

Cell Line↗

IL-7 regulation of cytotoxic lymphocytes: pore-forming protein gene expression, interferon-gamma production, and cytotoxicity of human peripheral blood lymphocytes subsets.

The effects of IL-7 on the generation of cytolytic human peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBL) were investigated. Induction of T-cell pore-forming protein (PFP) mRNA and cytotoxic potential by IL-7 was both slow and minor compared with that observed in IL-2-cultured T cells. IL-7 and suboptimal doses of IL-2 (10 U/ml) were found to costimulate PFP mRNA expression and cytotoxic potential in T cells. Clearly, however, both IL-7 and IL-2/IL-7 induced the PFP gene expression and cytotoxic potential of CD8+ T cells and not CD4+ T cells. In addition, neither monoclonal antibodies (mAb) to the p55 or p75 IL-2-receptor subunits had any effect upon IL-7 induction of CD8+ T-cell cytotoxicity, indicating that IL-7 induction of cytotoxic CD8+ T cells was IL-2 independent. IL-7 induction of CD3- large granular lymphocyte (LGL) and PB gamma delta T-cell cytotoxicity was also delayed and reduced compared with that effected by IL-2. IL-7 (10 or 1000 U/ml, 72 hr) enhanced the NK and LAK cytotoxic of LGL and PB gamma delta T cells. By contrast IL-7 or IL-2 augmented the redirected cytotoxic potential of PB gamma delta T cells, but not that of LGL, and neither lymphokine had any effect on constitutive PFP mRNA expression in either lymphocyte subset. In addition, IL-7 induction of LGL IFN-gamma production was weak and delayed compared with that effected by IL-2 and neither IL-2 nor IL-7 stimulated IFN-gamma production in PB gamma delta T cells. Therefore, overall the effects of IL-2 and IL-7 on various cytotoxic human PBL were qualitatively similar, but quantitatively and kinetically different.

Cells, Cultured↗

Lymphokine-induced cytotoxicity: requirement of two lymphokines for the induction of optimal cytotoxic response.

Lymphokines induce the generation of cytotoxic cells (LICC) in the absence of antigenic or mitogenic stimulation. In the present study, we have demonstrated that at least two lymphokines are involved. They are interleukin 2-conditioned medium (CM-IL 2), which was produced by W/Fu rat spleen cells cultured with concanavalin A-conjugated Sepharose beads, and cytotoxic cell differentiation factor-conditioned medium (CM-CCDF), which was produced primarily by the unstimulated mouse peritoneal macrophages. It was first established that CCDF synergized with IL 2 to induce the generation of LICC in normal spleen cells, and that this process was specifically blocked by the rat anti-IL 2 receptor monoclonal antibody. The maximal synergistic effect was obtained by using 10% CM-CCDF (v/v) and 0.1 to 0.3 U/ml of CM-IL 2. Higher doses of IL 2 (3 to 10 U/ml) reduced the cytotoxic response. The effectors of LICC were Thy-1+, Lyt-2- and AGM1-; therefore, they were neither classic CTL nor NK cells. The precursors were AGM1+, Lyt-2- cells that were consistent of being NK-like cells. When examining the temporal relationship between CCDF and IL 2, we found that 4 hr preincubation of the responders with IL 2 was sufficient to activate the cytotoxic precursor cells. CCDF was needed later for the differentiation of the activated precursors into cytotoxic effectors. In contrast, preincubation of the responders with CCDF, followed by additional incubation with IL 2, failed to induce any cytotoxic response. These results established that lymphokine-induced cytotoxicity can be separated into two phases. In the activation phase, IL 2 provides the first signal to activate the cytotoxic precursors, with the process being completed in 4 hr. In the differentiation phase, CCDF provides the second signal to induce the differentiation of the IL 2-activated precursors into cytotoxic effectors, with this process requiring 48 hr to complete. The sequential presence of these lymphokines at an appropriate time during the activation and differentiation phases is critical for the generation of LICC response.

Animals↗

Nitric oxide production by tumor targets in response to TNF: paradoxical correlation with susceptibility to TNF-mediated cytotoxicity without direct involvement in the cytotoxic mechanism.

Tumor necrosis factor (TNF) is selectively cytotoxic for some tumor cells in vivo and in vitro. We determined whether TNF-mediated cytotoxicity for TNF-sensitive tumor targets was related to TNF-stimulated production of NO by the tumor cell itself. We found that a cell line that was sensitive to TNF-mediated cytotoxicity produced NO in response to TNF as measured by the accumulation of nitrite in the supernatants of TNF-stimulated cells. Production of NO in response to TNF was inhibited by the competitive substrate inhibitor, NG-monomethyl-L-arginine (NMMA). The kinetics of NO production in response to TNF indicated that most of the NO was produced during the first 24 h and peaked after 48 h of culture and that TNF-stimulated NO production was dose dependent. TNF-resistant cell lines produced less NO than a TNF-sensitive cell line, and the amount of nitrite produced correlated with the relative sensitivity of each cell line to TNF-mediated cytotoxicity. In addition, recombinant interferon-gamma augmented the amount of NO produced in response to TNF by both sensitive and resistant cells and correspondingly enhanced the susceptibility of resistant cells to TNF cytotoxicity. Both sensitive and resistant cells were sensitive to NO, however, in that NO generated exogenously by culture in the presence of sodium nitroprusside was cytotoxic for both sensitive and resistant cells in a dose-dependent manner. We were unable, however, to demonstrate directly a role for NO in TNF-mediated cytotoxicity as NMMA- and arginine-free media provided little protection from TNF-mediated cytotoxicity. We tentatively conclude that the ability of adherent murine tumor cells to produce nitric oxide in response to TNF correlates directly with their level of sensitivity to TNF-mediated cytotoxicity, although NO thus produced appears not to be directly involved in the cytotoxic mechanism.

Animals↗

Combined cytotoxic effects of tumor necrosis factor-alpha with various cytotoxic agents in tumor cell lines that are drug resistant due to mutated p53.

Several studies suggest that tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF) is able to overcome drug resistance in tumors. Whether TNF is able to do so in tumor cell lines that are drug resistant due to a mutation in the tumor suppressor gene p53 is unclear. Therefore, we studied the in vitro cytotoxic effects of TNF combined with various cytotoxic agents in a model consisting of a human ovarian cancer cell line containing endogenous wild-type p53 (wtp53) and sublines that were made drug resistant against various cytotoxic agents by transfection of several forms of mutated p53 (mtp53). Using the microculture tetrazolium assay, the cytotoxic effects of TNF alone, the cytotoxic agents VM-26, melphalan, cisplatin, vinblastine, paclitaxel, and mitoxantrone, plus the combined effects of 10 ng/ml TNF added 30 min before various concentrations of the cytotoxic agents were established. Compared with the control cell line (A2780/cmv), two cell lines transfected with mtp53 (A2780/m248 and A2780/m273) showed increased resistance against several cytotoxic agents but also an enhanced sensitivity to TNF. Interaction of TNF with the cytotoxic drugs was additive in the drug-sensitive control cell line as well as in the drug-resistant sublines. However, because of the increased sensitivity of A2780/m248 to TNF at the dose used for the combinations, the combination of TNF with several cytotoxic drugs reduced the level of resistance in A2780/m248 compared with the control cell line A2780/cmv. In conclusion, this study shows that addition of TNF can ameliorate resistance to cytotoxic agents in a subline that is drug-resistant because of mutated p53. This reduction in resistance by TNF is not due to synergistic interaction, but to collateral sensitivity to TNF.

Antineoplastic Agents↗

Evidence for in vivo generation of cytotoxic T cells. PPD-stimulated lymphocytes from tuberculous pleural effusions demonstrate enhanced cytotoxicity with accelerated kinetics of induction.

Mycobacterium tuberculosis is a bacterial pathogen capable of survival and replication within human macrophages. Cytotoxic T cells are thought to be important for the eradication of infected macrophages. To test this hypothesis, pleural effusion lymphocytes from patients with tuberculous pleuritis were stimulated in vitro with PPD, and proliferation and cytotoxicity were assessed by thymidine incorporation and chromium release, respectively. The level and kinetics of generation of antigen-specific cytotoxicity were measured and compared with those in autologous peripheral blood, control peripheral blood, and nontuberculous effusions. Both proliferation and cytotoxicity in tuberculous pleural effusions were augmented and accelerated in comparison to autologous or control peripheral blood. By contrast, low levels of cytotoxicity were observed in nontuberculous effusions, without evidence of accelerated kinetics. Cell subset fractionation by panning indicated that the cytotoxicity was mediated by CD4+ cells. The accelerated kinetics of induction of PPD-specific cytotoxic T cells demonstrated here suggests reactivation of in vivo generated cytotoxic T cells. These findings provide evidence that cytotoxic T cells are induced at the site of pathology in vivo and suggest that these cells play an important role in protection in vivo against infection with tuberculosis.

Cytotoxicity, Immunologic↗