title: Recognition and destruction of Bacillus Calmette-Guerin-infected human monocytes.
abstract: We have established a long-term culture system to study macrophages chronically infected with mycobacteria. Monocytes are infected with Bacillus Calmette-Guerin (BCG) and support exponential intracellular replication without profound perturbation of normal host cell function. We have used this system to investigate lymphokine-activated killer (LAK)-mediated cytolysis. We have found that interleukin 2 stimulation of peripheral blood lymphocytes generates a cytotoxic activity against human monocytes. A CD56- subpopulation of LAK cells specifically recognizes and lyses BCG-infected cells. Lysis of the host cell has no effect on parasite viability and results in the liberation of bacteria capable of infecting more cells.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cellular Physiology and Immunology, Rockefeller University, New York, New York 10021.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Molloy
authors.forename: P A
authors.initials: PA
authors.lastname: Meyn
authors.forename: K D
authors.initials: KD
authors.lastname: Smith
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Kaplan
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000942:Antigens, Bacterial / Q000276:immunology; D015703:Antigens, CD / Q000032:analysis; D000945:Antigens, Differentiation, T-Lymphocyte / Q000032:analysis; D019002:CD56 Antigen; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D003602:Cytotoxicity, Immunologic; D006801:Humans; D007376:Interleukin-2 / Q000494:pharmacology; D015979:Killer Cells, Lymphokine-Activated / Q000276:immunology*; D009000:Monocytes / Q000276:immunology / Q000382:microbiology*; D009163:Mycobacterium bovis / Q000254:growth & development / Q000276:immunology*; D012756:Sheep
chemical_list: D000942:Antigens, Bacterial; D015703:Antigens, CD; D000945:Antigens, Differentiation, T-Lymphocyte; D019002:CD56 Antigen; D007376:Interleukin-2