Natural killer cells and cytotoxic T cells induce DNA fragmentation in both human and murine target cells in vitro.
DNA fragmentation induced by cytolytic lymphocytes in human erythromyeloid cell line K562 and murine T lymphoma cell line YAC-1 was investigated by means of agarose gel electrophoresis. Murine natural killer (NK) and cytotoxic T (Tc) cells induced DNA fragmentation in YAC-1 cells, with the fragments being approximately multiples of 180 bp. More significantly, murine NK cells can induce a similar pattern of DNA fragmentation in human K562 cells. Therefore, cytolytic lymphocytes can induce apoptosis or programmed cell death in human target cells.
Liu
Y
Y
Division of Cell Biology, John Curtin School of Medical Research, Australian National University, Canberra.
Müllbacher
A
A
Waring
P
P
D000818:Animals; D002460:Cell Line; D003601:Cytotoxicity Tests, Immunologic; D003602:Cytotoxicity, Immunologic; D004247:DNA / Q000378:metabolism*; D004587:Electrophoresis, Agar Gel; D007694:Killer Cells, Natural / Q000276:immunology*; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D008808:Mice, Inbred CBA; D010641:Phenotype; D013154:Spleen / Q000166:cytology; D013602:T-Lymphocytes, Cytotoxic / Q000276:immunology*
D004247:DNA