Autoantibodies and spleen cell-mediated cytotoxicity in adriamycin-induced myocardiopathy in rabbits.

Spleen cells from rabbits affected by adriamycin-induced cardiomyopathy were specifically cytotoxic for rabbit embryonic heart cells in microcytotoxicity tests. The interactions between "sensitized" spleen cells and rabbit embryonic heart cells were observed by scanning electron microscopy. Sera from these rabbits were shown by immunofluoresence to contain antibodies reactive with rabbit embryonic heart, kidney, and muscle cells. Cytotoxic antibodies were not detected. These sera contained factors that enhanced the cytotoxicity mediated by "sensitized" spleen cells and made normal spleen cells capable of destroying targets. The detection of these factors and of cytotoxins was dependent on the method of target-effector cells treatment by serum.