Two monoclonal antibodies identifying a subset of human peripheral mononuclear cells with natural killer cell activity.

Two monoclonal antibodies (H25 and H366) raised against the cultured T lymphoid cell line HSB-2 were shown to define a subset of peripheral mononuclear cells with natural killer and killer cell activity. The two antibodies show similar tissue distributions. Radioimmune trace binding assay shows that H25 and H366 react with all T cell lines tested and with the monocyte line U937, but weakly or not at all with cell lines of B, myeloid or erythroid origin. Both antibodies react with about 10% of E rosette-forming cells and a proportion of nonrosetting lymphocytes and monocytes. They do not react with B lymphocytes, granulocytes, red cells or platelets. A proportion of thymocytes and low numbers of tonsil and spleen mononuclear cells are positive. H25+ and H366+ lymphocytes are medium-sized cells with abundant granular cytoplasm, and most carry Fc receptors for IgG. H25 and H366 immunoprecipitate two polypeptide chains of 96 and 53kDa from surface-labeled HSB-2 cells.