High hepatic natural killer cell activity in murine lupus.

This study demonstrates a profound elevation of NK activity, as measured by cytotoxicity to YAC-1 targets in a 4-h incubation 51Cr-release assay, of freshly isolated hepatic NPC from both MRL/lpr and (NZB X NZW)F1 mice. This marked increase was not observed in splenic or peripheral blood NK. The hepatic NK were nonadherent, radioresistant, Ly-1-,2-, and AGM1+. Furthermore, biologic response modifiers can further augment hepatic NK activity in these autoimmune strains.