MICC cytotoxic effector function of human T lymphocyte subpopulations bearing Fc-receptors for IgG and IgM.

Purified subpopulations of human T lymphocytes bearing Fc-IgG and Fc-IgM receptors were studied for their ability to mediate mitogen (PHA) induced cellular cytotoxicity (MICC) to chicken erythrocyte (CRBC) and DBA/Mastocytoma P815Y tumour cell targets. There were marked differences in the ability of the Fc-IgG receptor-bearing T cell (T gamma) and the Fc-IgM (T mu) to mediating MICC to CRBC and P815Y target cells. T gamma cells were very efficient killers of CRBC and T mu cells had no cytotoxic activity to CRBC. On the other hand, both the T gamma and T mu subpopulations were able to mediate MICC to P815Y tumour cell targets.