title: Highly increased natural killer cell number and lytic activity in the murine peripheral blood and lungs after interferon induction in vivo.
abstract: We have studied the effect of interferon in vivo (induced by polyinosinic-polycytidylic acid (pIC] on the natural killer (NK) cell lytic activity and on the numbers of large granular lymphocytes (LGL) and target-binding cells (TBC) in different lymphoid compartments. One day after the pIC induction the spleen contained two- to four-fold increased lytic activity without a significant change in percentages of TBC and LGL. In the peripheral blood the lytic activity was 12- to 40-fold higher, and a concomitant clear increase in the number of LGL and TBC was seen. In the lungs the increase in lytic activity was 8- to 16-fold and in the number of LGLs ca. 3-fold. These results demonstrate that not only the lytic activity of the pre-existing NK cells but also the total amount of NK cells is clearly elevated in the body, but this could be seen more significantly in other highly NK-active organs than the spleen.
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000954:Antigens, Surface / Q000276:immunology; D003602:Cytotoxicity, Immunologic; D005677:G(M1) Ganglioside; D006028:Glycosphingolipids / Q000276:immunology; D007372:Interferons / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D007694:Killer Cells, Natural / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism; D007958:Leukocyte Count; D008168:Lung / Q000166:cytology*; D051379:Mice; D010641:Phenotype; D011070:Poly I-C / Q000494:pharmacology; D018800:Thy-1 Antigens
chemical_list: D000954:Antigens, Surface; D006028:Glycosphingolipids; D018800:Thy-1 Antigens; D005677:G(M1) Ganglioside; C018835:asialo GM1 ganglioside; D007372:Interferons; D011070:Poly I-C