Regulation of natural antibody binding and susceptibility to natural killer cells through Zn super(++)-inducible ras oncogene expression

Changes in the natural resistance phenotype were examined for the 2HI, 10T is equivalent cells expressing the activated human H-ras oncogene under the transcriptional regulation of the zinc-inducible mouse metallothionein-I promoter. The data argue for an NAb- and NK-cell-susceptible phase of ras-induced tumor development which is a prerequisite for these mediators to contribute to a first line of defense against incipient neoplasia, and suggest that characteristics of the recipient cell and the transforming oncogene are important in determining the natural resistance phenotype.