Cancer research
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Murine fibrosarcoma cells were examined for sensitivity to killing by natural killer (NK) and natural cytotoxic lymphocytes from mouse spleens. These tumor cell lines were sensitive to killing by effector cells which were nonadherent to plastic or nylon wool, Thy-1 negative, asialo-GM1 negative, and present in the spleens of beige mice, nude mice, and A/J mice, as well as in the spleens of normal syngeneic and allogeneic control mice. This indicates that the cytotoxic effects were due to natural cytotoxic lymphocytes rather than to NK lymphocytes, T-cells, or macrophages. ⋯ The structural basis for the recognition of the murine fibrosarcoma cells by the NK effector cells is not known. However, laminin may be involved. When the fibrosarcoma cells, which have receptors for the laminin molecule, were preincubated with laminin, they were reduced in their ability to compete for the killing of Yac-1 cells by the NK effectors and had reduced capacity to bind to NK cells in a target cell binding assay.