Contribution of activated C3 to lymphocyte-mediated target lysis: complement-dependent cellular cytotoxicity.

Lysis of Raji cells by human lymphocytes was found to be enhanced if human serum was added to the assay. This was not due to the contribution of antibodies because hypogammaglobulinemic serum also augmented cytotoxicity. The results suggest that the mechanism of the enhancement was due to activation of C3 by the Raji cells. We assume that the cleavage products are deposited on cell surfaces in such a way that they contribute to contact between effector and target. Previous reports in two antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity systems provided other examples for the existence of this phenomenon.