title: Phenotypic and functional study of natural killer cells in tuberculous pleurisy patients.
abstract: The phenotypic and functional characteristics of the cells that mediate "natural killer" (NK) cytolysis were examined by using anti-Leu 7 monoclonal antibody specific for NK cell in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PMC) and pleural effusion mononuclear cells (PEMNC) from the tuberculous pleurisy patients. The proportion of Leu 7+ cells in PEMNC was observed significantly lower than in PMC, whether the patients were treated or not. Before treatment NK cell activity, precisely cytotoxicity against K 562, in PEMNC was apparently higher than in PMC. There was little relationship between proportion of leu 7+ cells and NK cell activity. Further, the mechanism of high NK cell activity in PEMNC was analysed by coculture with a healthy control's PMC and a tuberculous pleural effusion. The NK cell activity of Leu 7+ cells was augmented by low molecular soluble factor(s).
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D003602:Cytotoxicity, Immunologic; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007694:Killer Cells, Natural / Q000276:immunology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010641:Phenotype; D010996:Pleural Effusion / Q000276:immunology; D014396:Tuberculosis, Pleural / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal