title: Depressed natural cytotoxicity but normal natural killer cytotoxic factor (NKCF) production by mononuclear cells derived from patients with hepatocellular carcinoma.
abstract: This study investigated the relation between the production of natural killer cytotoxic factors (NKCF) and the phenomenon of natural killing (NK) activity against target K562 cells. Two different models of defective NK cell activity were employed. In the first instance, cytotoxic activity of mononuclear cells (MN) derived from patients with hepatocellular carcinoma was compared to the ability of these cells to produce NKCF. Although direct cytotoxicity was considerably impaired in these patients, the ability of their MN to produce NKCF when stimulated with K562 cells was found to be normal. In the second model, MN treated with the lysosomotropic drug monensin showed considerably reduced direct cytotoxic activity, although they were capable of producing normal amounts of NKCF when activated by K562 cells. These results therefore indicate that there is no correlation between NK activity and corresponding NKCF release, and suggest that NKCF production and activity is independent of direct NK cytotoxic activity.
authors.affiliation: MRC Human Cellular Immunology Unit, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa.
authors.forename: R H
authors.initials: RH
authors.lastname: Brookes
authors.forename: M C
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Kew
authors.forename: A R
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Rabson
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000276:immunology*; D003602:Cytotoxicity, Immunologic; D006801:Humans; D007694:Killer Cells, Natural / Q000276:immunology*; D055646:Killer Factors, Yeast; D007963:Leukocytes, Mononuclear / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology*; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000276:immunology*; D008247:Lysosomes / Q000187:drug effects; D008875:Middle Aged; D008985:Monensin / Q000494:pharmacology; D014176:Protein Biosynthesis; D011506:Proteins
chemical_list: D055646:Killer Factors, Yeast; D011506:Proteins; D008985:Monensin