Both the precursors and the effectors of human lymphokine-activated killer (LAK) cells may belong to T lymphocytes.
The present experiments were designed to perform a further investigation of the cell lineage of lymphokine-activated killer (LAK) cells. In the presence of adherent cells both T and not-T cells, separated on the basis of rosette formation with sheep erythrocytes (E rosettes), generated LAK activity after short-term culture in recombinant interleukin-2 in 5 different individuals tested. Since at the termination of the culture more than 98% of cells were T11-positive, it is evident that both LAK precursor and effector cells may belong to the T cell lineage. By applying a culture technique which allows the clonal expansion of virtually all T cells, we further selected and analyzed T cell clones with LAK activity. Under the culture conditions used, LAK clones represented approximately 4% of all proliferating clones. All had cytolytic activity against K562 target cells as well and also released large amounts of gamma-interferon following phytohemagglutinin stimulation.
D000954:Antigens, Surface / Q000032:analysis; D002454:Cell Differentiation; D002999:Clone Cells; D006801:Humans; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000096:biosynthesis; D007376:Interleukin-2 / Q000494:pharmacology; D007694:Killer Cells, Natural / Q000166:cytology*; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000166:cytology*
D000954:Antigens, Surface; D007376:Interleukin-2; D007371:Interferon-gamma