Analysis of the murine lymnphokine-activated killer (LAK) cell phenomenon: Dissection of effectors and progenitors into NK- and T-like cells

• Published in: The Journal of immunology (1950) Vol. 138; no. 11; pp. 3640 - 3645
• Main Authors: Kalland, T, Belfrage, H, Bhiladvala, P J, Hedlund, G
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: 01.01.1987
• ISSN: 0022-1767

Murine as well as human lymphokine-activated killer (LAK) cells have been reported to have several characteristics of T lymphocytes and to be clearly distinct from natural killer (NK) cells. The present study of murine LAK cells showed that cytotoxic cells generated in the presence of interleukin 2 IL 2 were heterogenous with respect to cell surface markers or progenitor as well as effector cells. Culture of murine lymphoid cells from spleen or peripheral blood with high concentrations of IL 2 results in the emergence of two different killer cell populations with phenotypic similarities to NK and T cells, respectively, both being able to kill targets resistant to resting NK cells. In contrast to numerous earlier reports, the authors concluded that LAK cells are heterogenous with respect to surface markers, with a major population of LAK cells apparently representing Il 2-activated cells expressing cell surface markers associated with NK cells.