Deficient interleukin-2-activated killer cell cytotoxicity in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus.
This study was undertaken to determine if the cytotoxic activity of interleukin-2 (IL-2)-activated killer (LAK) cells, which is induced by the direct activation of lymphocytes by IL-2, is defective in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). The killer cell activity of SLE patients, whether it be generated in autologous plasma or serum-free media, was significantly less than the controls against three different target cells. It was observed, by incubating control lymphocytes in 10% fresh SLE plasma, that soluble factors were responsible for a portion of the reduced generation of LAK cell cytotoxicity (P less than 0.05). Suppression ranges from 4 to 70% with a mean of 33%. However, when SLE LAK cells were generated in serum-free media, a greater reduction of generated LAK cell activity was observed (P less than 0.005). Using a disease activity score, it was determined that SLE cytotoxicity negatively correlated with disease activity only when the cells were cultured in serum-free media. Irrespective of the culture conditions, lytic activity did not correlate with levels of anti-DNA antibodies, anti-Sm antibodies, circulating immune complexes, or prednisone therapy.
Department of Medicine, University of Illinois College of Medicine, Chicago 60612.
C J
CJ
Froelich
S
S
Guiffaut
M
M
Sosenko
K
K
Muth
D003470:Culture Media; D003601:Cytotoxicity Tests, Immunologic; D003602:Cytotoxicity, Immunologic / Q000187:drug effects; D006801:Humans; D007153:Immunologic Deficiency Syndromes / Q000276:immunology*; D007376:Interleukin-2; D007694:Killer Cells, Natural / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology*; D008180:Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000276:immunology*; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation / Q000187:drug effects; D010949:Plasma / Q000502:physiology; D011241:Prednisone / Q000627:therapeutic use
D003470:Culture Media; D007376:Interleukin-2; D011241:Prednisone