Antibody-dependent human lymphocytotoxicity: a micro assay system.

A micro assay system is described for measuring antibody-dependent lymphocytotoxicity with human effector cells. The target cells were mouse mastocytoma cells sensitized with rabbit antibody. The tests were performed in microtiter plates, each well containing 5 x 10(3) 51Cr-labeled target cells, together with varying numbers of effector cells. Whereas highly purified lymphocyte suspensions induced lysis, purified monocyte and granulocyte suspensions had virtually no effect. In parallel experiments it was shown that the latter cell suspensions were very active in lysing sensitized human erythrocytes, which in turn were not lysed by purified lymphocytes. Finally, it was shown that the lytic capacity of lymphocytes was not affected by preservation of the cells at liquid nitrogen temperature. It is concluded that the system described can be used for the clinical analysis of antibody-dependent lymphocytotoxicity in lymphocyte suspensions.