# REGULATION OF NATURAL KILLER CELLS

> **NIH NIH R01** · UNIV OF MASSACHUSETTS MED SCH WORCESTER · 1987 · $131,623

## Abstract

We have shown that virus infections and interferon inducers stimulate
natural killer (NK) cell activation, proliferation and accumulation in
target organs such as liver, lung, and peritoneum.  Also stimulated by
viruses are cytotoxic T cells which may, like NK cells, have a large
granular lymphocyte (LGL) morphology.  A subclass of stimulated T cells is
allospecific whereas others are virus-specific.  We propose to examine
NK/LGL and T/LGL accumulation in organs during infection or IFN stimulus,
to determine whether this accumulation is due to chemotaxis or to in situ
differentiation or proliferation, and to determine which organs (spleen or
bone marrow) are the source of NK cells appearing in target organs.  Rat
and hamster monoclonal antibodies to mouse NK cells will be made from
animals stimulated with an NK cell clone or purified mouse blast NK/LGL.
These antibodies, as well as others already available, will be used to
phenotype NK cells in different organs and at different stages of
activation, to compare them with T/LGL, and to localize NK cells in organs
by immunohistochemistry.  The antibodies will also be used to define cell
receptors involved in chemotaxis.  The proposed experiments should help
elucidate how NK cells respond to stimuli within an infected animal, such
that they may effectively contribute to natural immunity.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 3172164
- **Project number:** 5R01CA034461-05
- **Recipient organization:** UNIV OF MASSACHUSETTS MED SCH WORCESTER
- **SAM.gov UEI:** MQE2JHHJW9Q8
- **Principal Investigator:** Raymond M Welsh
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 1987
- **Award amount:** $131,623
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 1983-05-01 → 1990-04-30

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/3172164

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 3172164, REGULATION OF NATURAL KILLER CELLS (5R01CA034461-05). Retrieved via MORVS 2026-10-25 from https://api.morvs.ai/grant/nih/3172164. Licensed CC0.

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