Natural and antibody-dependent cell-mediate cytotoxicity to cultured target cells superinfected with Epstein-Barr virus.

The relationship between natural cell-mediated cytotoxicity (NCMC) and antibody-dependent cell-mediated cytotoxicity (ADCC) was examined in an Epstein-Barr virus-infected target cell system. The total ADCC reactivity to Epstein-Barr virus-infected target cells varied considerably with different effector cells, indicating contributions to specificity by the effector cells as well as by antibodies in the sera. To investigate the role of each reactant, the effector cells, sera, and target cells were tested according to a three-dimensional experimental design and examined for selectivity with the two- and three-way interaction analysis. The two-way analysis was applied to different planes from the experiment to examine special interactions involving two of the three reactants. Selective ADCC was examined through the results from sera versus target cells, selective NCMC was examined by effector cells versus target cells, and the relationship between NCMC and ADCC was examined through the final plane of effector cells versus sera. A three-way interaction analysis applied to the same results supported the conclusions from the two-way analysis and allowed further inquiry into the concurrent role of three reactants. The design and analysis used in the study allowed detection of selective ADCC and NCMC for Epstein-Barr virus-infected target cells and variations in the efficiency of ADCC by different effector cells and in the modulation of NCMC by different sera.