Natural and antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity of polymorphonuclear leukocytes.

Cytotoxic activity of polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMN) in the peripheral blood of patients with various diseases was demonstrated to K562 cells (natural cytotoxicity, NC) and the antibody-coated P815 cells (antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity, ADCC), using a 51Cr-release method. The NC values of normal PMN were lower than those of normal lymphocytes with mean values of 5.0% and 30%, respectively. The NC values of patients' PMN were also lower in malignancy, chronic hepatitis and connective tissue diseases. The ADCC values of normal PMN were moderately high with a mean value of 16.0%, which was almost a half of normal lymphocytes. Higher ADCC values of PMN were found in patients with chronic hepatitis, SLE and Behcet's disease, and in these cases the ADCC values of their lymphocytes were extremely low. The supernatants of PMN mix-cultured with unlabeled K562 or the antibody-coated P815 cells were fairly cytotoxic to both cells, though the similar supernatants of lymphocytes were cytotoxic only to K562 cells, but not to the antibody-coated P815 cells.