GLUTAMINE REQUIREMENTS IN THE GENERATION OF LYMPHOKINE-ACTIVATED KILLER-CELLS

The role of glutamine (GLN) in the generation of lymphokine-activated killer (LAK) cell activity was investigated. LAK cells were derived fr om healthy donors and peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) were o btained using either unseparated PMBC or DR- CD3- CD16+ CD56+ enriched cells. PBMC were cultured for 6 or 10 days in medium supplemented wit h recombinant interleukin-2 (rIL-2; 100 U/ml) in the presence of diffe rent concentrations of GLN. K562 (natural killer-NK-sensitive targets) , 1301 and U-937 (NK-resistant targets) cells were used as targets in the cytotoxic assays. Furthermore, the limiting dilution (LD) culture system was applied as an alternative to the bulk cell culture system. It was found that GLN affects the lytic potential of cultured cells wh ile the frequency of responding cells did not significantly differ bet ween the compared cell cultures performed in the presence of different amounts of GLN. Data on cell proliferation with IL-2 stimulation show ed significant differences in cultures performed in the presence or ab sence of GLN. The results of present investigation suggest a supportiv e role of GLN in the generation of LAK cells. GLN deficit affects LAK cell killing activity by limiting the number of generated effector cel ls while acquisition of broad-range killing capacity was not affected.