title: Natural killer cell number and activity in multiple sclerosis.
abstract: Natural killer (NK) cell percentage among cells appearing in lymphocytic flow-cytometric gate, and their concentration per unit volume of peripheral blood, as well as NK-cell in vitro activity, were determined in 45 patients with multiple sclerosis (MS, 34 with definite and 11 with probable diagnosis). Two age- and sex-matched control groups consisted of 27 healthy individuals and 19 individuals with other neurological diseases, respectively. NK cells were identified on the basis of their reaction with monoclonal antibody NKH-1, and NK-activity on the basis of their spontaneous killing of K-562 erythroleukemia target cells with mononuclear cells from peripheral blood. MS patients were analyzed in regard to the phase (active, stable inactive, stable progressive) and course (remittent, remittent-progressive, progressive) of the disease. In general, MS patients tended to have both lower number and activity of natural killer cells than either of the two control groups. A statistically significant decrease was found for the concentration of NKH-1+ cells in the blood of all MS patients, for the number of lymphocytes in the blood of patients with remittent course of the disease, and for the number of NKH-1+ cells in the blood of patients with progressive course of the disease. It appeared that more profound defects were associated with the progression of the disease; NK-cell number always appeared more affected than NK-cell activity. In MS patients, NK-cell activity correlated significantly with NK-cell percentages among lymphocytes but poorly with the concentration of NKH-1+ cells in the blood. In healthy controls, neither of the two correlations was significant.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Laboratory Diagnostics, Zagreb University, School of Medicine, Yugoslavia.
authors.forename: Z
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Vranes
authors.forename: Z
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Poljaković
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Marusić
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D002452:Cell Count; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D007694:Killer Cells, Natural / Q000276:immunology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009103:Multiple Sclerosis / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal