An enzymatic assay for the detection of natural cytotoxicity.
The pronase-enhanced release of 14C-labeled DNA was used to assay cytotoxicity of murine natural killer cells. YAC-1 lymphoma cells were labeled with [14C]thymidine and incubated with increasing numbers of spleen cells from nude mice. At harvest, nuclease-free pronase was used to digest damaged target cells. Increases in cytotoxicity of 5--39% were obtained using optimal conditions. The reaction could be successfully inhibited with unlabeled YAC-1 cells. The degree of cytotoxicity was similar to that detected by 51Cr release, but a longer period of incubation was required.
D000818:Animals; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D002860:Chromium Radioisotopes; D003601:Cytotoxicity Tests, Immunologic; D004247:DNA; D007113:Immunity, Innate; D007694:Killer Cells, Natural / Q000276:immunology*; D008223:Lymphoma / Q000276:immunology; D051379:Mice; D008819:Mice, Nude / Q000276:immunology; D009374:Neoplasms, Experimental / Q000276:immunology; D011402:Pronase; D013154:Spleen / Q000166:cytology
D002860:Chromium Radioisotopes; D004247:DNA; D011402:Pronase