title: Role of natural killer cells in the generation of influenza virus-specific cytotoxic T cells.
abstract: Recently we reported that natural killer (NK) cells are critical accessory cells required for the differentiation of alloantigen-stimulated CD8+ T cells into effector cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTL) in vitro. In this study we provide evidence that NK cells are also required for the generation of influenza virus-specific CTL. Depletion of NK cells from responder human peripheral blood mononuclear cells or mouse splenocytes abolished the induction of influenza A virus-specific CTL under culture conditions. Treatment of C57BL/6 mice with the NK cell-depleting NK1.1 monoclonal antibody (mAb) before primary or secondary immunization with influenza A virus abrogated the capacity of CTL precursors to differentiate into influenza virus-specific CTL effectors in vivo. These results extend our previous findings and demonstrate that NK cells critically influence the induction of antigen-specific CTL, both in vitro and in vivo.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Palo Alto, California 94304, USA.
authors.forename: F J
authors.initials: FJ
authors.lastname: Kos
authors.forename: E G
authors.initials: EG
authors.lastname: Engleman
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D009980:Influenza A virus / Q000276:immunology*; D007694:Killer Cells, Natural / Q000276:immunology*; D007963:Leukocytes, Mononuclear / Q000276:immunology; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D013602:T-Lymphocytes, Cytotoxic / Q000276:immunology*; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured