title: Antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity and natural killing in nude rats: quantitative study according to age and sex.
abstract: 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.
mesh_terms: 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