Expression of perforin in murine natural killer cells and cytotoxic T lymphocytes in vivo.
We have previously detected perforin expression in a subpopulation of asialo GM1+ natural killer (NK) cells and CD8+ T lymphocytes in murine spleen cells by immunocytochemical staining with an anti-perforin monoclonal antibody. In the present study, more detailed analyses of perforin expression in murine cytotoxic lymphocyte subpopulations were performed. The expression of perforin in asialo GM1+ spleen cells was predominantly confined to the NK1.1+ subset, where all NK activity also resided. Perforin expression was also studied on alloreactive cytotoxic T lymphocyte (CTL) induced in vivo. The cells expressing perforin in peritoneal exudate lymphocytes predominantly resided in the CD8+ T cell subpopulation co-expressing asialo GM1 where an allospecific CTL activity also resided. Furthermore, the percentage of perforin-positive cells in this population was greatly reduced after stimulation with anti-CD3 or anti-T cell receptors antibodies, which induce serine esterase release from the cytoplasmic granules. These findings highly suggest that perforin is involved in in vivo NK cell- and CTL-mediated cytolysis.
Kawasaki
A
A
Department of Immunology, Juntendo University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan.
Shinkai
Y
Y
Yagita
H
H
Okumura
K
K
D000818:Animals; D005677:G(M1) Ganglioside / Q000032:analysis; D007694:Killer Cells, Natural / Q000737:chemistry*; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins; D008565:Membrane Proteins / Q000032:analysis*; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D054353:Perforin; D052899:Pore Forming Cytotoxic Proteins; D011948:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell / Q000502:physiology; D016176:T-Lymphocyte Subsets / Q000737:chemistry; D013602:T-Lymphocytes, Cytotoxic / Q000737:chemistry*
D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins; D008565:Membrane Proteins; D052899:Pore Forming Cytotoxic Proteins; D011948:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell; D054353:Perforin; D005677:G(M1) Ganglioside; C018835:asialo GM1 ganglioside