Inhibition of SK cell activity in frogs by certain drugs and sugars

We present similarities between mammalian natural killer (NK) cells and (anuran amphibian) frog spontaneous killer (SK) cells. A cytotoxic assay utilizing allogeneic erythrocytes as target cells was used and lysis assessed by measuring release of hemoglobin. SK effector cells, just as mammalian NK cells, are not sensitive to cycloheximide nor most simple sugars (50 mM glucose, glucose-6-phosphate, galactose, fucose, mannose). However, SK activity is inhibited by chloroquine, colchicine and mannose-6-phosphate. When SK cells were co-incubated with mammalian tumor cells, they were able to lyse only the NK-sensitive target YAC-1, but not other mammalian tumor cell targets including K562, Molt-4, Raji, P815 and EL4. Lysis of YAC-1 cells was also inhibited by colchicine and chloroquine. These results allow speculation on the evolution of cell mediated cytotoxicity since natural cytotoxic cells are present in ectothermic vertebrates.