Failure to detect killer cell activity in rabbits.
Rabbit lymphoid cells from spleen, peripheral blood, and peritoneal cavity lacked killer (K)-cell activity against cell lines of rabbit and human origin, including virus-infected human tumor cells. This lack of activity was not affected by antibody concentration, source of antibodies, effector/target cell ratio, or length of assay. Rabbit leukocytes, however, were capable of lysing antibody-coated chicken erythrocytes. Hamster leukocytes, serving as a known source of K cells, mediated antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity against all targets. EA-rosette assays and mixed effector cell competition tests suggested a deficiency in rabbit K-cell activity which is not a result of an inherent lack of Fc receptor-positive cells or of some suppressor mechanism operating in the rabbit cell populations. Our data support the concept that antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity may not be a significant in vivo immune mechanism in certain species.
D000818:Animals; D000920:Antibody-Dependent Cell Cytotoxicity; D001202:Ascitic Fluid / Q000166:cytology; D002460:Cell Line; D006224:Cricetinae; D006461:Hemolysis; D006801:Humans; D007694:Killer Cells, Natural / Q000276:immunology*; D007700:Kinetics; D011817:Rabbits / Q000276:immunology*; D011961:Receptors, Fc; D013154:Spleen / Q000166:cytology; D050378:T-Lymphocytes, Regulatory / Q000502:physiology
D011961:Receptors, Fc