Level and temporal pattern of naturally cytolytic cells during acute Graft-versus-Host Disease (GVHD) in the rat.
The purpose of the present study was to determine the level of nonadherent lymphoid cells from Graft-verus-Host Disease (GVHD) rats able to naturally kill (NK/NC cells) various solid tumor or lymphoma cells in vitro. Acute lethal GVHD was produced in either newborn or adult (DA x LEW)F1 rats by iv injection of LEW spleen and lymph node (LN) cells. Controls received the same dose of syngeneic cells. At 7, 14, and 21 days after cell injection, the ability of non-adherent mononuclear cells from the LN, spleen, peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBL), marrow, and thymus to kill 51Cr-labeled dog (DT-5) lymphoma, and undifferentiated sarcoma (11031) or human (HUS-2) sarcoma cells in vitro was determined. Only spleen and marrow of controls caused significant 51Cr release from the target cell lines. However, LN, spleen, marrow, PBL, and thymus from neonates and adults with GVHD of 7 days duration caused greater release from all targets than controls (P less than 0.05-0.001). By Day 14 the level of 51Cr released was significantly less than controls except for the values from LNs and thymus which remained elevated. By Day 21 all lymphoid compartments exhibited a decrease in NK/NC cells. Thus, early during acute GVHD, there is an activation and/or expansion of NK/NC cells while later-stage GVHD rats have depressed NK/NC levels.
D000208:Acute Disease; D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn; D001667:Binding, Competitive; D003602:Cytotoxicity, Immunologic; D004285:Dogs; D005260:Female; D006087:Graft vs Host Reaction; D006801:Humans; D007694:Killer Cells, Natural / Q000145:classification / Q000276:immunology* / Q000502:physiology; D008223:Lymphoma / Q000276:immunology; D008297:Male; D051381:Rats; D011914:Rats, Inbred BN; D011917:Rats, Inbred Lew; D012208:Rhabdomyosarcoma / Q000276:immunology; D012513:Sarcoma, Experimental / Q000276:immunology; D013934:Thymectomy; D013997:Time Factors