Anticryptococcal activity of NK cell-enriched peripheral blood lymphocytes from human immunodeficiency virus-infected subjects: responses to interleukin-2, interferon-gamma, and interleukin-12.
Anticryptococcal activity of highly purified NK cells from patients with either early asymptomatic or late-stage human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection proved to be markedly impaired; activity was reproducibly restored to normal levels by in vitro addition of exogenous interleukin-12 (IL-12). For these highly purified NK cells, responses to IL-2 and interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma) among HIV-infected patients were variable, with only 2 of 8 exhibiting significant responses to IL-2 or IFN-gamma. In contrast, IL-2 and IFN-gamma consistently enhanced anticryptococcal activity of mixed lymphocyte populations, cells that more closely approximate the network likely to be operational in vivo.
Horn
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CA
Department of Internal Medicine, Bowman Gray School of Medicine, Wake Forest University, Winston-Salem, North Carolina 27157, USA.
Washburn
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RG
D002469:Cell Separation / Q000379:methods; D003453:Cryptococcosis / Q000150:complications / Q000276:immunology; D003454:Cryptococcus / Q000276:immunology*; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000150:complications / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000494:pharmacology*; D018664:Interleukin-12 / Q000494:pharmacology; D007376:Interleukin-2 / Q000494:pharmacology; D007378:Interleukins / Q000494:pharmacology*; D007694:Killer Cells, Natural / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology*; D017452:Receptors, IgG / Q000276:immunology
D007376:Interleukin-2; D007378:Interleukins; D017452:Receptors, IgG; D018664:Interleukin-12; D007371:Interferon-gamma