In vitro studies of natural killer cell activity in septic shock patients. Response to a challenge with alpha-interferon and interleukin-2.
Natural killer cell activity (NKCA) in patients with septic shock was statistically significantly lower than the value recorded for a group of drug-free, healthy volunteers [9.1 +/- 7.8 (n = 20) and 20.6 +/- 16.6 (n = 15), respectively; Student's test, p < 0.05]. As expected, preincubation of peripheral blood lymphocytes from samples taken from a group of controls with either alpha-interferon or interleukin -2 resulted in an enhancement of NKCA for each and everyone of the subjects studied; however, results from a similar protocol using patient samples showed a lack of consistency, both in the direction and magnitude, in the elicited changes in NK lytic function. Whereas samples from same patient responded with either an increase or a decrease in NKCA to preincubation with both immunostimulators, others responded with NKCA upmodulation to one and downmodulation to other of these test substances. A better knowledge of the mechanism(s) responsible for the depressed expression of NKCA in septic shock patients, and its altered response to alpha-interferon and interleukin-2, could generate new modalities in the diagnosis and therapy of this condition.
Puente
J
J
Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Faculty of Chemical and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Univ. of Chile, Santiago.
Carvajal
T
T
Parra
S
S
Miranda
D
D
Sepulveda
C
C
Wolf
M E
ME
Mosnaim
A D
AD
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016898:Interferon-alpha / Q000494:pharmacology*; D007376:Interleukin-2 / Q000494:pharmacology*; D007694:Killer Cells, Natural / Q000187:drug effects*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012772:Shock, Septic / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology*
D016898:Interferon-alpha; D007376:Interleukin-2