Effect of cations and cation channel blockers on human natural killer cells.
We studied the influence of various extracellular Ca++ and Mg++ concentrations on human natural killer (NK) cells and found that NK cell-mediated target cell lysis requires the presence of both divalent cations. The calcium channel blocker verapamil and the local anaesthetics procaine and lidocaine inhibited NK cell-mediated killing of K 562 target cells, whereas the selective K+ channel blocker tetraethylammonium and the selective Na+ channel blocker tetrodotoxin had no effect on NK activity. Our results demonstrate an important role of extracellular Ca++ and Mg++ for NK cell-mediated killing and suggest that a free transmembrane Ca++ passage is required for target cell lysis.
Huwyler
T
T
Hirt
A
A
Felix
D
D
Morell
A
A
D000779:Anesthetics, Local / Q000494:pharmacology; D002118:Calcium / Q000494:pharmacology*; D003602:Cytotoxicity, Immunologic / Q000187:drug effects; D004306:Dose-Response Relationship, Immunologic; D006801:Humans; D007473:Ion Channels / Q000187:drug effects*; D007694:Killer Cells, Natural / Q000187:drug effects*; D008274:Magnesium / Q000494:pharmacology*; D019789:Tetraethylammonium; D013757:Tetraethylammonium Compounds / Q000494:pharmacology; D013779:Tetrodotoxin / Q000494:pharmacology; D014700:Verapamil / Q000494:pharmacology
D000779:Anesthetics, Local; D007473:Ion Channels; D013757:Tetraethylammonium Compounds; D013779:Tetrodotoxin; D019789:Tetraethylammonium; D014700:Verapamil; D008274:Magnesium; D002118:Calcium