Cytotoxic Effects of Activated Human Monocytes and Lymphocytes to Anti‐D‐treated Human Erythrocytes in Vitro

Abstract

Incubation of human monocytes, derived from peripheral blood, with cell-free supernatants from mixed lymphocyte cultures resulted in morphological and functional changes in the mature macrophages. Activation of monocyte-derived macrophages by these factors resulted in a significant increase in their capacity to lyse anti-D-treated human erythrocytes. The lytic activity of normal and activated macrophages was independent of erythrophagocytosis. T [thymus-derived] lymphocytes activated by allogeneic cells or the mitogen phytohemagglutinin were not cytolytic to treated erythrocytes even at high effector to target cell ratios.