Intraepithelial lymphocytes of human gut: isolation, characterisation and study of natural killer activity.

N Cerf-Bensussan, D Guy-Grand, C Griscelli

A method using a mechanical procedure for isolation of lymphocytes from the epithelium of human intestinal mucosa allows the study of some of their characteristics and functions. Most of the isolated cells are of the T lineage (E+ and T3+) and express the phenotype associated with cytotoxic-suppressor T cells (T8). A large number contain intracytoplasmic granules. Granules are stained with alcian blue (pH 2.2), are metachromatic with Toluidine blue (pH 4) and some are shown to incorporate 35sulphate, suggesting that they contain sulphated mucopolysaccharides. As these cells are similar in many respects to the large granular lymphocytes that mediate natural killer activity in the peripheral blood, their natural cytotoxicity was tested against K 562 target cells. No activity was detected among the human intraepithelial lymphocytes and treatments with known potentiators of natural killer activity, ie, interferon or PHA-depleted conditioned medium containing Il-2, failed to reveal any cytotoxic activity.

CiteULike    Complore    Connotea    Del.icio.us    Digg    Reddit    Technorati    What's this?

This article has been cited by other articles:

• Wang, D., Zhou, X., She, R., Xiong, J., Sun, Q., Peng, K., Liu, L., Liu, Y. (2009). Impaired intestinal mucosal immunity in specific-pathogen-free chickens after infection with very virulent infectious bursal disease virus. Poult. Sci. 88: 1623-1628 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
• Wang, D., Ma, W., She, R., Sun, Qu., Liu, Y., Hu, Y., Liu, L., Yang, Y., Peng, K. (2009). Effects of swine gut antimicrobial peptides on the intestinal mucosal immunity in specific-pathogen-free chickens. Poult. Sci. 88: 967-974 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
• Michael-Robinson, J M, Biemer-Huttmann, A-E, Purdie, D M, Walsh, M D, Simms, L A, Biden, K G, Young, J P, Leggett, B A, Jass, J R, Radford-Smith, G L (2001). Tumour infiltrating lymphocytes and apoptosis are independent features in colorectal cancer stratified according to microsatellite instability status. Gut 48: 360-366 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
• Arnulf, B., Copie-Bergman, C., Delfau-Larue, M.-H., Lavergne-Slove, A., Bosq, J., Wechsler, J., Wassef, M., Matuchansky, C., Epardeau, B., Stern, M., Bagot, M., Reyes, F., Gaulard, P. (1998). Nonhepatosplenic gamma delta T-Cell Lymphoma: A Subset of Cytotoxic Lymphomas With Mucosal or Skin Localization. Blood 91: 1723-1731 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
• TARGAN, S. R., KAGNOFF, M. F., BROGAN, M. D., SHANAHAN, F. (1987). Immunologic Mechanisms in Intestinal Diseases. ANN INTERN MED 106: 853-870 [Abstract]