Natural killers (NK) are a subpopulation of lymphocytes that are defined by their pattern of cytotoxicity against other normal and neoplastic cells of predominantly hemopoietic origin. Although they have been programmed to recognize a limited spectrum of targets, their activity can be augmented by certain immunoregulatory substances. The molecules that mediate the recognition events have not yet been identified. / I describe here the derivation and characteristics of a variant clone (Clone I) of the human leukemic cell line K562. These cells, selected for decreased binding to peripheral blood lymphocytes, were less sensitive than the parent to lysis by NK in the resting, but not in the augmented state. Although their major plasma membrane proteins appeared identical to those of K562, they contained an additional minor group of fucosylated glycolipids. A later subclone of Clone I, selected for resistance to Concanavalin A, reverted to an NK sensitive pattern and exhibited the parental profile of glycolipids. / The results illustrate in an in vitro model how a leukemic cell can modulate its membrane to escape surveillance by NK cells, and suggest that the glycolipids might be involved (directly or indirectly) in the mechanism.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:LACETR/oai:collectionscanada.gc.ca:QMM.74570 |
| Date | January 1990 |
| Creators | MacDougall, Stephen L. (Stephen Lindsay) |
| Publisher | McGill University |
| Source Sets | Library and Archives Canada ETDs Repository / Centre d'archives des thèses électroniques de Bibliothèque et Archives Canada |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Electronic Thesis or Dissertation |
| Format | application/pdf |
| Coverage | Doctor of Philosophy (Department of Physiology.) |
| Rights | All items in eScholarship@McGill are protected by copyright with all rights reserved unless otherwise indicated. |
| Relation | alephsysno: 001167750, proquestno: AAINN66493, Theses scanned by UMI/ProQuest. |
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