Abstract
Publisher Summary This chapter discusses a class of lymphokines or lymphocyte effector molecules (LEM) that manifest cytotoxic or cytotostatic effects on cultured nonlymphoid cells in vitro. The in vitro cytotoxic or cytostatic activities associated with the group of LEM suggest that they may participate in a variety of tissue-destructive or growth-restrictive reactions observed in cell-mediated immunity, typified by the in vivo phenomenon of allograft rejection, tumor immunity, autoimmune disease, and delayed hypersensitivity reactions. Immunologic and physical studies indicate that human lymphotoxins (LT) molecules may comprise a system of distinct and related members that can complex with each other and Ig-like molecules. Different types of xenogeneic anti-LT sera have been produced that will inhibit LT induced cytolysis in vitro. The growth inhibitory activities of human lymphocyte supernatants effective or nonlymphoid cells are probably because of the members of the LT system or immune interferon. The detection of these components would be dependent on their relative concentrations and the target cell employed in the assay. Only activated lymphoid cells can release LT in vitro. Activation is induced by the interaction of the activating agents, that is, antigen or mitogen, with receptors on the lymphocyte cell surface.
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