Healthy lifestyles are associated with higher natural killer cell activity.
BACKGROUND
To investigate the association of individual lifestyle with immune response against tumors, we assayed peripheral blood lymphocytes of 62 healthy males ranging in age from 30 to 60 years for natural killer (NK) cell activity, which is the first line of defense against tumors, and for frequencies of NK cell subsets.


METHODS
The NK cell activity was determined by 51Cr release assay, and NK cell subsets were counted using surface antigens (CD16, CD57) which recognize NK cell subgroups with different cytolytic potentials. Subjects were classified into groups reporting good, moderate, and poor lifestyles according to their responses on a questionnaire regarding eight health practices (tobacco smoking, alcohol consumption, hours of sleep, physical exercise, eating breakfast, balanced nutrition, hours of work habits, and mental stress).


RESULTS
Individuals reporting good lifestyle habits were found to have the highest NK cell activity and it was significantly higher than the NK cell activity in those reporting poor lifestyle habits. Those reporting good health practices regarding smoking and physical exercise showed significantly higher NK cell activity at an effector-to-target-cell ratio of 40:1.


CONCLUSIONS
The higher NK cell activity among individuals reporting good lifestyle practices may reflect an increase in the cytolytic potential of NK cell activity within the CD16+, CD57- subset.
D000328:Adult; D015703:Antigens, CD / Q000276:immunology; D000945:Antigens, Differentiation, T-Lymphocyte / Q000276:immunology; D018959:CD57 Antigens; D015438:Health Behavior; D006801:Humans; D007694:Killer Cells, Natural / Q000276:immunology*; D008019:Life Style; D016131:Lymphocyte Subsets / Q000276:immunology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D017452:Receptors, IgG / Q000276:immunology; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured
D015703:Antigens, CD; D000945:Antigens, Differentiation, T-Lymphocyte; D018959:CD57 Antigens; D017452:Receptors, IgG