Heterogeneity in lectin-binding characteristics of human lymphokine-activated killer cells.

The binding of various lectins to human lymphokine-activated killer (LAK) cells was investigated. Human peripheral blood lymphocytes were cultured for 3 days with recombinant interleukin-2 (rIL-2), and then stained with 20 kinds of lectins. There were four types of lectin-binding patterns: (a) negative staining; (b) weakly positive staining; (c) strongly positive staining; and (d) two populations, one weakly and one strongly positive staining. Among the 20 kinds of lectins, both Lens culinaris agglutinin (LCA) and Pisum sativum agglutinin (PSA) showed two peaks in the staining patterns on LAK cells (type 4). We separated these two populations of LAK cells by using a cell sorter, and assayed them for cytotoxic activity against 51Cr-labeled Hela cells. The LAK cells that were strongly stained by LCA or PSA [LCA (or PSA)-bright LAK cells] showed stronger cytotoxic activity than the LAK cells that were weakly stained by LCA or PSA [LCA (or PSA)-dull LAK cells]. Furthermore, we separated lymphocytes with LCA or PSA before culturing them with rIL-2 (LAK precursor), and we found that both LCA-bright and PSA-bright lymphocytes can develop into LAK cells with higher cytolytic activity. LCA-bright lymphocytes kept their ability to be stained strongly with LCA even after culture with rIL-2 for 3 days. Similarly, LCA-dull lymphocytes were still stained weakly after culture with rIL-2. Two-color assay of LAK cells revealed that 78% of NK (CD16+)-LAK cells and 46% of T (CD3+)-LAK cells were LCA-bright cells.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)