title: NK and LAK functions in human chronic Chagas disease.
abstract: Natural killer (NK) and lymphokine activated killer (LAK) functions were measured in 40 patients with chronic Chagas disease divided into asymptomatic/indeterminate (18) and symptomatic forms (22) and in 24 healthy controls. A chromium release assay was used employing K562 or P815 cell lines as targets. There was no difference in either NK or LAK activity between the three groups. A small number of patients in each group showed results above or below the normal range for controls. However, there was no correlation between NK and LAK values in the same individual. In conclusion, NK immunosuppression associated with human chronic Chagas disease.
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Medicine, School of Medicine of Ribeirao Preto, University of Sao Paulo, Brazil.
authors.forename: A B
authors.initials: AB
authors.lastname: Stracieri
authors.forename: J C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Voltarelli
mesh_terms: D002460:Cell Line; D014355:Chagas Disease / Q000276:immunology*; D002908:Chronic Disease; D006801:Humans; D015979:Killer Cells, Lymphokine-Activated / Q000276:immunology*; D007694:Killer Cells, Natural / Q000276:immunology*