title: Diminution of inducible lymphokine-activated killer cell activity in individuals with AIDS-related disorders.
abstract: We have compared the relative ability of lymphokine-activated killer (LAK) cells derived from peripheral blood of HIV-seropositive people, AIDS subjects, and healthy controls, to lyse a panel of natural killer (NK)-sensitive and NK-resistant tumor and virally-infected targets. We have found that LAK cells derived from HIV-seropositive populations show a significant, albeit reduced, capacity to lyse U937, K562, and RAJI target cell lines, in comparison with similarly derived cells from healthy controls. The reductions in LAK activity in both HIV-seropositive asymptomatic and AIDS populations reflect a significant reduction in cytotoxic potential of individual LAK cells. The maximal LAK cytotoxic potentials of control, asymptomatic seropositive, and AIDS populations are comparable. LAK cells derived from HIV-seropositive populations show an enhanced capacity to lyse HIV-infected U937 targets relative to their uninfected counterparts. These enhancements in HIV-infected U937 versus U937 cytolysis arise from increases in the maximal cell-mediated cytolytic plateau. Depletion of NK (CD56+) lymphocytes from peripheral blood prior to LAK cell generation markedly diminishes subsequent specific and total inducible LAK activity. In some subjects, peripheral blood T-cell depletion prior to LAK cell generation results in LAK cells that are subsequently enriched for cytolytic activity, whereas in other subjects similar T-cell depletion impairs inducible LAK cell responses.
authors.affiliation: Lady Davis Institute of the Jewish General Hospital, Montréal, Québec, Canada.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Gryllis
authors.forename: M A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Wainberg
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Gornitsky
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Brenner
mesh_terms: D000163:Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome / Q000150:complications / Q000276:immunology*; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D003602:Cytotoxicity, Immunologic; D006679:HIV Seropositivity / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D015979:Killer Cells, Lymphokine-Activated / Q000276:immunology*; D007694:Killer Cells, Natural / Q000276:immunology; D009894:Opportunistic Infections / Q000150:complications*; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured