Antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity and natural killing in nude rats: quantitative study according to age and sex.
Rats bearing the rnu mutation were used to study the influence of the thymus on killer (K) and natural killer (NK) cytotoxic activities. Both functions developed to a comparable level in 3-month old homozygote rnu/rnu athymic rats and their normal rnu/+ littermates. In old rats, cytotoxic activities did not decrease, except in the case of female rnu/rnu rats. K and NK cytotoxic activities are thus able to develop normally in the absence of thymic influence. Moreover, nude rats will be useful as a source of potent effector cells for studying both the cellular functions themselves and the antibodies involved in K-cell activity.
D000375:Aging; D000818:Animals; D000920:Antibody-Dependent Cell Cytotoxicity; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007694:Killer Cells, Natural / Q000276:immunology* / Q000502:physiology; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008954:Models, Biological; D051381:Rats; D011922:Rats, Mutant Strains / Q000276:immunology*; D012727:Sex Characteristics; D013154:Spleen / Q000276:immunology / Q000502:physiology; D013950:Thymus Gland / Q000276:immunology / Q000502:physiology