Thymic lymphomas mediate non-MHC-restricted, TNF-dependent lysis of the murine sarcoma WEHI-164

Tumor necrosis factor (TNF), lyses a range of sensitive tumor targets and has been shown to be the mediator of natural cytotoxic (NC) activity first described in our laboratory. In this report, we identify two thymic lymphoma cell lines which lyse the prototype NC target WEHI-164 and share characteristics of NC. R1.1E and L5178-27av lyse the WEHI-164 sarcoma in 18-hr 51Cr release assays via a TNF-dependent, non-MHC-restricted (R1.1E) mechanism although they do not constitutively produce TNF. NC- and TNF-resistant variants of WEHI-164 are resistant to lymphoma-mediated lysis. Expression of the ganglioside GD3 by the lymphomas correlates with their relative levels of lysis. Thus, GD3, which is known to have a role in T cell activation may be involved in recognition or triggering for TNF-dependent cell-mediated lysis.