Antigenic profile of murine natural killer cells.
We have determined the antigenic profile of natural killer (NK) cells from C57BL/6 mice that have lytic activity to RLmale1 tumor cells, in a 5-hr 51Cr release assay. To perform the antigenic typing more effectively, we enriched the NK populations by using discontinous BSA density gradient and established a correlation between NK activity and NK-1 antigen in each layer. As NK activity and Nk-1 antigen are both criteria for measuring NK cells, we determined the antigenic profile of NK cells by monitoring both the change in NK activity and NK-1 cells, after elimination of cells with various antisera to lymphocytic alloantigens. We have found that all NK cells expressed Nk-1, Qa-4, and Qa-5 antigens; about 50% of NK cells expressed Thy-1 and Qa-2 antigens, and 25% of NK cells also expressed Lyt-1 antigen. NK cells did not express significant amounts of Qa-1, Qa-3, Lyt-2, and Lyb-2 antigens. Therefore, spontaneous NK cells are heterogeneous with regard to their surface antigens, some of which are T cell antigens. However, the present antigenic profile does not allow us to classify NK cells in the conventional T cells lineage.
D000818:Animals; D000941:Antigens; D002417:Cattle; D003602:Cytotoxicity, Immunologic; D005260:Female; D007106:Immune Sera / Q000494:pharmacology; D007962:Leukocytes / Q000276:immunology*; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D008811:Mice, Inbred DBA; D012397:Rosette Formation; D012710:Serum Albumin, Bovine / Q000494:pharmacology
D000941:Antigens; D007106:Immune Sera; D012710:Serum Albumin, Bovine