Figure 3. Critical role for NK and CD8⁺ T cells in the control MM through perforin and interferon-γ pathways.

(A) NK cells and CD8⁺ T cells limit Vk*MYC MM burden in vivo. WT mice were injected with control IgG, anti-AsGM1 and/or anti-CD8β to deplete NK cells and/or CD8⁺ T cells, and were challenged with Vk12653 cells. The γ-globulin levels in the serum of the indicated groups of mice 3 weeks after injection, and the percentages and numbers of CD138⁺B220^– PCs in the BM and in the spleen (SPL) of the indicated groups of mice are shown. Representative experiment out of 2 involving groups of n = 10 mice. (B–D) WT, Pfp^–/–, and Ifng^–/– mice were injected i.v. with 2 × 10⁶ Vk12653 cells. (B) MM burden was evaluated by SPEP 1, 3, and 5 weeks after injection. The γ-globulin levels in the serum of the indicated groups of mice are shown. (C and D) the percentages and numbers of CD138⁺B220^– PCs in the BM (C) and in the SPL (D) of the indicated groups of mice are shown. Representative experiment out of 2 involving groups of n = 10 mice. (E and F) WT, Pfp^–/–, and Ifng^–/– mice were injected i.v. with 5 × 10⁵ Vk12653 cells (E) or 4 × 10⁵ Vk12598 cells (F), and the survival of mice was analyzed after injection. Groups of n = 10 mice are shown. Each symbol represents 1 individual mouse. *P < 0.05, **P < 0.01, ***P < 0.001; Mann-Whitney U test (A–D) and Mantel-Cox test (E and F).