Natural killer cell activity during measles.
Natural killer cells are postulated to play an important role in host anti-viral defences. We measured natural killer cell activity in 30 individuals with acute measles (73 +/- 21 lytic units (LU)/10(7) cells) and 16 individuals with other infectious diseases (149 +/- 95 LU) and found it reduced compared with values for adults (375 +/- 70 LU; P less than 0.001) or children (300 +/- 73 LU, P less than 0.01) without infection. Reduced natural killer cell activity was found in measles patients with (84 +/- 30 LU) and without (55 +/- 18 LU) complications and was present for at least 3 weeks after the onset of the rash. Activity was increased by in vitro exposure of cells to interleukin-2. Depressed natural killer cell activity parallels in time the suppression of other parameters of cell-mediated immunity that occurs during measles.
Department of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205.
D E
DE
Griffin
B J
BJ
Ward
E
E
Jauregui
R T
RT
Johnson
A
A
Vaisberg
D000945:Antigens, Differentiation, T-Lymphocyte / Q000096:biosynthesis; D016827:CD8 Antigens; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003602:Cytotoxicity, Immunologic / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007372:Interferons / Q000096:biosynthesis; D007376:Interleukin-2 / Q000494:pharmacology; D007694:Killer Cells, Natural / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology*; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation / Q000276:immunology; D008457:Measles / Q000276:immunology*; D015375:Receptors, Interleukin-2 / Q000096:biosynthesis
D000945:Antigens, Differentiation, T-Lymphocyte; D016827:CD8 Antigens; D007376:Interleukin-2; D015375:Receptors, Interleukin-2; D007372:Interferons