Activation of human blood lymphocytes and monocytes by the streptococcal preparation OK432: enhanced generation of soluble cytotoxic factors.

The streptococcal preparation OK432 augments natural cytotoxicity of human blood lymphocytes and monocytes. It also enhanced the production of natural killer soluble cytotoxic factors (NKCF) when the effector cells interact with K562 cells. There was a good correlation between the OK432-induced enhancement of NK cell-mediated cytotoxicity and the released NKCF activity. OK432-pretreated monocytes secreted higher amounts of monocyte cytotoxic factors (MCF) than the untreated monocytes. With the monocytes the enhanced generation of MCF was not always accompanied by the increase in direct cell-mediated lysis of K562. OK432 treatment alone did not induce NKCF release from lymphocytes, and the presence of K562 in the culture was necessary. In contrast, monocytes generated MCF when exposed to OK432. In the supernatants of cocultures of OK432-activated effectors and K562 the NKCF and MCF activity was elevated two- to ten-fold. The OK432-induced augmentation of natural cytotoxicity exerted by lymphocytes and monocytes may be mediated through an increase in the synthesis, activation and/or release of NKCF and MCF.