Regulation of Natural Killer Activity in vivo

Abstract

Spleen natural killer (NK) activity against YAC tumor cells was reduced in female C57BL/6J mice hypophysectomized at 3 weeks and sacrificed 4-8 weeks later. Proportions of null cells and of target binding cells in spleens from hypophysectomized and sham operated mice were significantly different. Administration of ovine growth hormone (GH) (100 microgram/day, i.p. for 10 days) resulted in a marked recovery of NK activity in hypophysectomized mice. NK activity by spleen cells from hypophysectomized or sham operated mice (with or without GH treatment) was mediated by non-T, non-B lymphocytes.