Killer cell lines against Shope carcinoma cells in rabbits.

Killer cell activity against Shope carcinoma cells was not detected in PBL nor in spleen cells from tumor-bearing B/J rabbits, but was induced by in vitro culture of these cells in the presence of IL-2 and X-irradiated carcinoma cells. HTLV-I-transformed killer cell lines were successfully obtained by the culturing of PBL from an HTLV-I-infected and tumor-bearing Chbb:HM rabbit. These killer cells included large cells with azurophilic granules in the cytoplasm and with a reniform nucleus, thus resembling large granular lymphocytes. The killer activity was similar against the Vx2K cell line from a random-bred rabbit and SCB cell lines from an B/J rabbit, suggesting the absence of MHC restriction.