Abstract
Lymphocytes kill tumor cells and other target cells by a contact-dependent mechanism. Killer lymphocytes acquire cytoplasmic granules upon lymphokine stimulation and these granules in turn contain potent cytotoxic mediators, some of which have been characterized recently. These include (i) a pore-forming protein (perforin) of 70 kDa that polymerizes into transmembrane tubules in the presence of calcium and that is structurally related to the terminal components (C5b-6, C7, C8 and C9) of the complement cascade, (ii) a cytokine related to tumor necrosis factor and lymphotoxin that causes DNA fragmentation in target cells, and (iii) a family of serine esterases presently without any known function. The relevance of these mediators in lymphocyte-mediated killing is currently being investigated. The identification and characterization of additional putative mediators of cytotoxicity in the future will undoubtedly provide us with a better understanding of the molecular basis of cell-mediated killing.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 1145-1153 |
| Number of pages | 9 |
| Journal | Brazilian Journal of Medical and Biological Research |
| Volume | 21 |
| Issue number | 6 |
| State | Published - 1988 |
| Externally published | Yes |
Keywords
- Antibody-Dependent Cell Cytotoxicity
- Cell Membrane Permeability
- Complement
- Complement Membrane Attack Complex
- Killer Cells, Natural
- Major Histocompatibility Complex
- Membrane Proteins
- Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
- Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.
- T-Lymphocytes, Cytotoxic