In vitro reactivity of natural killer (NK) cells against Cryptococcus neoformans

• Published in: The Journal of immunology (1950) Vol. 128; no. 4; pp. 1577 - 1583
• Main Authors: MURPHY, J. W, MCDANIEL, D. O
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Bethesda, MD American Association of Immunologists 01.04.1982
• Subjects: Aging; Animals; Antibody-Dependent Cell Cytotoxicity; Antigens, Surface - immunology; Antilymphocyte Serum - pharmacology; Biological and medical sciences; Cryptococcosis - immunology; Cryptococcus neoformans; Cryptococcus neoformans - growth & development; Cytotoxicity, Immunologic; General aspects; Growth Inhibitors - pharmacology; Guinea Pigs; Immunity, Cellular; Infectious diseases; Medical sciences; Membrane Proteins - immunology; Mice; Mice, Inbred A; Mice, Inbred CBA; Mycoses; Poly I-C - pharmacology; Propionibacterium acnes - immunology; Spleen - cytology; Thy-1 Antigens; Cell immunity
• ISSN: 0022-1767; 1550-6606
• DOI: 10.4049/jimmunol.128.4.1577

Natural cell-mediated cytotoxicity (NCMC) has been identified as one of the body's first lines of defense against neoplastic cells, and NCMC possibly functions in some viral infections and in regulating the development and differentiation of normal tissues. A subpopulation of lymphocytes known as natural killer (NK) cells has been shown to be one of the effector cells in this natural surveillance system. Up to this time the effects of NK reactivity on cells of nontissue origin have not been reported; therefore, the primary objective of this study was to examine the effects of cells with characteristics of NK cells on the growth in vitro of a yeast-like organism Cryptococcus neoformans . The authors found that the level of NK reactivity of the effector cell pools correlated with the ability of effector cells to limit the growth of the cryptococci. For example, high NK-reactive cell pools from young CBA/N mice were more effective in inhibiting the growth of seven different isolates of C. neoformans than were low NK-reactive splenic cells from young A. TH mice. These data suggest that NK cells may play a role in natural host defense in cryptococcosis.