title: [Characterization of peripheral blood natural killer (NK) cells in two patients with CD16+ CD56- NK cell-lineage granular lymphocyte-proliferative disorder].
abstract: In normal peripheral blood natural killer (NK) cells, the subset of CD16+ CD56+ cells is predominant, and that of CD16+ CD56- cells is rarely present. Because we have found the expansion of CD16+ CD56- NK cells in the peripheral blood of two patients with NK cell-lineage granular lymphocyte-proliferative disorders (NK-GLPD), the clinical findings and cellular characteristics of these patients were compared with those of CD16+ CD56+ NK-GLPD patients. Although CD16+ CD56- and CD16+ CD56+ NK-GLPD cells were morphologically different, clinical findings and courses, and NK activity did not differ significantly. Because strong NK activity was demonstrated in CD16+ CD56- NK-GLPD cells, the CD56 antigen, one of the adhesion molecules, did not seem to play a major role in NK cell-mediated cytotoxicity. The CD56 antigen is known to be more strongly expressed by immature NK cells than by mature NK cells. However, because interleukin 2-activated CD16+ CD56- NK-GLPD cells rapidly expressed the CD56 antigen, the degree of CD56 antigen expression did not always correlate with the maturity of NK cells.
authors.affiliation: Department of Hematology, Tokyo Women's Medical College.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Egashira
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kaneko
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Oshimi
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Mizoguchi
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ishida
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D015703:Antigens, CD / Q000032:analysis*; D000945:Antigens, Differentiation, T-Lymphocyte / Q000032:analysis*; D019002:CD56 Antigen; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007694:Killer Cells, Natural / Q000276:immunology*; D008232:Lymphoproliferative Disorders / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D017452:Receptors, IgG / Q000032:analysis*
chemical_list: D015703:Antigens, CD; D000945:Antigens, Differentiation, T-Lymphocyte; D019002:CD56 Antigen; D017452:Receptors, IgG