Activation of neutrophils by antigen-induced lymphokine, with emphasis on antibody-independent cytotoxicity.

Abstract

Incubation of bovine neutrophils with antigen-stimulated mononuclear cell supernatant (lymphokine) caused an inhibition of neutrophil migration and an enhancement of the neutrophils' ability to adhere to plastic, reduce nitroblue tetrazolium, ingest Staphylococcus aureus, and mediate antibody-dependent cell-mediated cytotoxicity (ADCC) against chicken erythrocytes. Lymphokine-treated neutrophils also became cytotoxic for chicken, turkey and human erythrocytes in the absence of specific antibody but were not cytotoxic for bovine erythrocytes. The increase in antibody-independent neutrophil cytotoxicity (AINC) was not due to direct cytotoxic activity of the lymphokine or to a stable, soluble mediator released by the neutrophils. Enhancement of AINC, but not ADCC, required RNA and protein synthesis by the neutrophil. These results indicate that several aspects of neutrophil function can be altered by products secreted by antigen-stimulated mononuclear cells and that neutrophils can be induced to recognize and to have increased cytotoxic activity toward heterologous erythrocytes.