Direct analysis of individual killer T cells: susceptibility of target cells to lysis and secretion of hydrolytic enzymes by CTL.

Direct identification, enumeration and biological characterization of cytolytic T lymphocytes (CTL) complementing the chromium release test had allowed us to propose a mechanism for T-cell mediated cytotoxicity (T-CMC). One CTL without accessory cells is able to lyse a specific target. Binding which allows cell contact (E-T doublets), should activate effector CTLs and render target cells susceptible to lysis. Secretion of hydrolytic enzymes localized at the CTL-target junction accounts for the lethal hit given by CTLs to susceptible targets. This hypothesis that the resulting cell lesion is identified with an alteration of the lipid bilayer membrane had been confirmed by single killer cell study. Furthermore, we have proposed that phospholipase enzymes are involved in the membrane alterations, since susceptible targets bound to effector cells (conjugates) were lysed in a much higher yield in the presence of phospholipase. Membrane cell lesion determined by hydrolytic enzyme (phospholipase) could represent a basic general mechanism for other cellular or molecular mediated processes.