Enhanced cytotoxic response of natural killer cells to interleukin-2 in Alzheimer's disease.
Experimental data suggest an involvement of immune cellular components in the development of Alzheimer's disease (AD). Against this background, the spontaneous natural killer (NK) cell activity and the NK-induced cytotoxicity after interleukin-2 (IL-2) were studied in healthy elderly subjects and in patients with dementia of Alzheimer type (SDAT) and multi-infarct type (MID). Higher NK cytotoxicity (expressed as total lysis and percent increase) at different IL-2 concentrations (50 and 100 IU/ml/cells) was demonstrated in patients with SDAT than in healthy elderly subjects (p < 0.001) and MID patients (p < 0.001). NK cell activity of MID patients was similar to that of healthy elderly and healthy young subjects. A negative correlation between the percent increase in NK cytotoxicity after IL-2 and the Mini Mental State Examination Score was also found in SDAT patients (p < 0.01). Alterations of IL-2-mediated NK cytotoxicity may therefore support the neuroimmune hypothesis of AD.
Department of Internal Medicine, Geriatric and Gerontology Clinic, University of Pavia, Italy.
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SB
Solerte
M
M
Fioravanti
S
S
Severgnini
M
M
Locatelli
M
M
Renzullo
N
N
Pezza
N
N
Cerutti
E
E
Ferrari
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000375:Aging / Q000276:immunology; D000544:Alzheimer Disease / Q000276:immunology* / Q000523:psychology; D016923:Cell Death; D015161:Dementia, Multi-Infarct / Q000276:immunology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007376:Interleukin-2 / Q000494:pharmacology*; D007694:Killer Cells, Natural / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology*; D008297:Male; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D009994:Osmolar Concentration; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D012016:Reference Values
D007376:Interleukin-2; D011994:Recombinant Proteins