Natural killer cells can enhance the proliferative responses of B lymphocytes

Cellular Immunology
P KatzM Evans

Abstract

In addition to lytic activity against malignant and virally transformed target cells, recent evidence has suggested that natural killer (NK) cells can modulate immune activities such as the suppression of B cell responses through noncytotoxic means. Using human B cells and highly purified autologous NK cells, we have demonstrated that NK cells can substantially augment the proliferative responses of B cells stimulated with the surface immunoglobulin crosslinking agents anti-IgM or Staphylococcus aureus Cowan strain I (SAC). This "enhancer" activity of NK cells was quite potent and was observed at an NK:B cell ratio as low as 0.05. Peak blastogenic responses of B cells cocultured with NK cells in the presence of B cell activators were observed at 2-3 days, similar to the responses of B cells in the absence of NK cells. Using the inhibitor of DNA synthesis mitomycin C, we determined that B cells and not NK cells were proliferating in cocultures of these lymphocytes stimulated with SAC. Activated B cells neither prevented the lysis of the isotope-labeled NK-sensitive target cell line K562 nor formed conjugates with NK cells, suggesting that cell contact was not a prerequisite for the effect. These studies have further expanded the...Continue Reading

References

Nov 11, 1983·Science·L V Abruzzo, D A Rowley

❮ Previous
Next ❯

Citations

Dec 5, 2019·Viral Immunology·Ivayla E GyurovaStephen N Waggoner
Nov 21, 2001·The Journal of Immunology : Official Journal of the American Association of Immunologists·I R BlancaJ R Ortaldo

❮ Previous
Next ❯

Related Concepts

Related Feeds

Cancer Biology: Molecular Imaging

Molecular imaging enables noninvasive imaging of key molecules that are crucial to tumor biology. Discover the latest research in molecular imaging in cancer biology in this feed.