Receptor for natural killer and non-specific cytotoxic cells

摘要

The present invention encompasses a receptor protein present on the surface of natural killer cells (NK cells) and non-specific cytotoxic cells (NCC) which is involved in non-specific lysis of target cells bearing an antigen recognized by the receptor protein and monoclonal antibodies which bind to the receptor which are useful in their identification and purification, and methods for altering NK cell- mediated lysis of target cells.PPThe monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) of the present invention were prepared by cell fusions between spleen cells from mice immunized with either non-specific cytotoxic cells (NCC) from catfish (anti-receptor antibodies) and myeloma cells.PPThe NK cell receptor was purified from solubilized flow cytometry purified non-specific cytotoxic (NCC) using antigen-antibody complexing techniques, either immune precipitation or affinity chromatography on Affigel-10™ with Con A Sepharose purified mAbs. Using mAbs which bind but do not inhibit lysis produces the same results as using mAbs which bind and inhibit lysis. Analysis of the receptor by 12% SDS shows that it is a dimeric molecule consisting of 41, 000 and 38,000 D proteins.