title: Distress and expression of natural killer receptors on lymphocytes.
abstract: Chronic distress has been associated with alterations in natural killer (NK) cell and T cell percentages and function. NK cells express inhibitory and stimulatory receptors that regulate cytotoxicity and cytokine secretion. T cells and T cells expressing CD56 (NKT cells) also express these NK-associated receptors, which are thought to serve the same function. The objective of this study was to examine the relationship between distress and expression of NK-associated receptors on NK cells, T cells, and NKT cells. Using multicolor flow cytometry and validated questionnaires, we studied twenty-nine healthy adults with a bimodal age spread. Whereas distress was related to significantly lower percentages of CD3(+) T cells, it was related to significantly higher percentages of NKT cells. Distress was associated with significantly higher percentages of T cells expressing NK-associated receptors including CD94 and KIR. In contrast, distress was associated with significantly lower percentages of NK cells bearing KIR (GL183) receptors. Our findings suggest a possible role for NK-associated receptors in distress-related alterations in lymphocyte maturation, trafficking, or activity.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, University of Iowa, IA, USA. susan-lutgendorf@uiowa.edu
authors.forename: Susan K
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Lutgendorf
authors.forename: Mikel B
authors.initials: MB
authors.lastname: Moore
authors.forename: Sarah
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Bradley
authors.forename: Brent J
authors.initials: BJ
authors.lastname: Shelton
authors.forename: Charles T
authors.initials: CT
authors.lastname: Lutz
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D015703:Antigens, CD / Q000378:metabolism; D001772:Blood Cell Count; D017252:CD3 Complex / Q000378:metabolism; D002908:Chronic Disease; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D007694:Killer Cells, Natural / Q000378:metabolism*; D037181:Lectins, C-Type / Q000378:metabolism; D016131:Lymphocyte Subsets / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D051920:NK Cell Lectin-Like Receptor Subfamily D; D011598:Psychoneuroimmunology; D011948:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell / Q000378:metabolism; D011971:Receptors, Immunologic / Q000378:metabolism*; D054340:Receptors, KIR; D012016:Reference Values; D013312:Stress, Physiological / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D015703:Antigens, CD; D017252:CD3 Complex; C497869:KLRD1 protein, human; D037181:Lectins, C-Type; D051920:NK Cell Lectin-Like Receptor Subfamily D; D011948:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell; D011971:Receptors, Immunologic; D054340:Receptors, KIR