Decreased natural killer-type activity of spleen cells against immature thymocytes in autoimmune strains of mice.
Recently we have reported that normal natural killer (NK)-enriched murine spleen cells have the capacity to lyse immature thymocytes of syngeneic or allogeneic origin. The studies presented in this paper show a different pattern of NK-type cytolysis and thymocyte sensitivity in mice which later in life develop autoimmune disease. Such mice appeared to have reduced effector NK capacity and thymocytes from these mice seemed to have reduced sensitivity as targets. This may allow presence and persistence of autoreactive T cell subpopulations which would normally be eliminated.
D000818:Animals; D001327:Autoimmune Diseases / Q000276:immunology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D002470:Cell Survival; D003602:Cytotoxicity, Immunologic; D005260:Female; D007694:Killer Cells, Natural / Q000276:immunology*; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008805:Mice, Inbred A; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D008814:Mice, Inbred NZB; D013045:Species Specificity; D013154:Spleen / Q000166:cytology*; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology* / Q000502:physiology