The effect of blood donation on natural killer activity in man.
Natural killer (NK) activity by peripheral blood mononuclear cells was determined in 122 male blood bank donors and 51 age-matched normal individuals. The results of a 4 hr 51Cr specific release assay demonstrated that NK activity was significantly decreased in blood donors and was dependent on the total volume of blood donated--the lowest values were observed in active long-term blood donors. It was shown also that depression of NK activity was accompanied by a decrease in total lymphocyte count in blood.
D000328:Adult; D001782:Blood Donors; D002460:Cell Line; D003602:Cytotoxicity, Immunologic; D006801:Humans; D007694:Killer Cells, Natural / Q000276:immunology*; D007958:Leukocyte Count; D008214:Lymphocytes / Q000166:cytology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged