The role of NK cells during in vivo antigen-specific antibody responses.
Investigations into the role of NK cells in regulating Ab responses have yielded variable results, some suggesting that NK cells can down-regulate Ag-specific Ig production and others proposing an enhancing effect. These apparently inconsistent findings may stem partially from the specificity of reagents used in purifying cell populations and/or the nature of the in vitro systems used to study these events. We chose to investigate the ability of either resting or poly(I:C)-activated NK cells to alter an in vivo Ab response in mice given a T-independent (TNP-LPS) or T-dependent (TNP-keyhole limpet hemocyanin (KLH)) Ag. By using a more specific Ab, anti-NK-1.1, to deplete NK cells, we were able to clearly show that resting, endogenous NK cells do not affect either type of response, as measured by serum Ag-specific Ig levels quantitated by isotype-specific ELISA. In contrast, activation of NK cells by poly(I:C) increased Ag-specific IgC2a as well as IgG1 levels. Interestingly, only the effect on IgG2a production is reversible by depletion of NK cells.
Wilder
J A
JA
Department of Pathology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas 75235, USA.
Koh
C Y
CY
Yuan
D
D
D000818:Animals; D000918:Antibody Specificity; D000955:Antigens, T-Independent / Q000276:immunology*; D000939:Epitopes / Q000276:immunology*; D005260:Female; D006241:Haptens; D006433:Hemocyanins / Q000276:immunology; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D007694:Killer Cells, Natural / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology*; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides / Q000276:immunology; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D008811:Mice, Inbred DBA; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology; D005719:gamma-Globulins / Q000276:immunology
D000955:Antigens, T-Independent; D000939:Epitopes; D006241:Haptens; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides; D005719:gamma-Globulins; C054401:trinitrophenyl keyhole limpet hemocyanin; C048761:trinitrophenyl-lipopolysaccharide; D006433:Hemocyanins