Human peripheral lymphocytes defined by anti-myelin-associated glycoprotein antiserum in healthy individuals and in patients with multiple sclerosis.
We investigated both the association between MAG-positive cells and active natural killer cells stained by anti-Leu-11 and the percentage of MAG-positive cells in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) by indirect immunofluorescence study. Eighty percent of MAG-positive cells were stained with anti-Leu-11. The percentage of MAG-positive cells of 41 healthy individuals was from 5.1 to 16.1% (8.5 +/- 2.7%). The percentage of Leu-7-positive cells (13.8 +/- 4.9%) was always greater than that of MAG-positive cells. In 5 of 17 samples from 14 patients with MS, the percentage of MAG-positive cells was reduced. This finding was not related to disease activity and was not a pathognomonic feature of MS. The percentage of Leu-7-positive cells in patients with MS was not statistically different from that in healthy individuals; however, 4 patients showed a normal number of Leu-7-positive cells and a reduced number of MAG-positive cells. These studies suggest that MAG-positive cells are closely related to active natural killer cells and that "MAG" is a useful marker of human natural killer cells.
Tanaka
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Sato
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Miyatake
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D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000032:analysis; D000939:Epitopes / Q000276:immunology; D005260:Female; D005455:Fluorescent Antibody Technique; D006801:Humans; D007694:Killer Cells, Natural / Q000276:immunology; D008214:Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009103:Multiple Sclerosis / Q000276:immunology*; D009185:Myelin Proteins / Q000276:immunology*; D018992:Myelin-Associated Glycoprotein; D009422:Nervous System Diseases / Q000276:immunology; D011961:Receptors, Fc / Q000276:immunology
D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D000939:Epitopes; D009185:Myelin Proteins; D018992:Myelin-Associated Glycoprotein; D011961:Receptors, Fc