title: Excitatory pattern of gamma-interferon on natural killer cell activity in senile dementia of the Alzheimer type.
abstract: Spontaneous natural killer (NK) cell activity and NK-induced cytotoxicity after interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma) were measured in healthy elderly subjects and in patients with senile dementia of Alzheimer type (SDAT) and multi-infarct dementia (MID). Normal basal and IFN-gamma-stimulated NK cytotoxicity were found in healthy old subjects and in patients with MID. On the contrary higher NK cytotoxicity after IFN-gamma (650 IU) was demonstrated in SDAT patients than in MID and healthy subjects (p < 0.001). A significant inverse correlation between the percent increase of NK cytotoxicity after IFN-gamma and the Mini Mental State Examination score (p < 0.001) was also demonstrated in patients with SDAT. Our data might suggest a cytokine-dependent mechanism of NK activation in SDAT associated with the neuroimmune hypothesis of the disease.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Geriatrics and Gerontologic Clinic, University of Pavia, Italy.
authors.forename: S B
authors.initials: SB
authors.lastname: Solerte
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Fioravanti
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Severgnini
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Pezza
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Locatelli
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Cerutti
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Terenzi
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Ferrari
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000544:Alzheimer Disease / Q000276:immunology* / Q000523:psychology; D002460:Cell Line; D003601:Cytotoxicity Tests, Immunologic; D015161:Dementia, Multi-Infarct / Q000276:immunology / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000494:pharmacology*; D007694:Killer Cells, Natural / Q000187:drug effects*; D008297:Male; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D011994:Recombinant Proteins
chemical_list: D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D007371:Interferon-gamma