title: Monocyte subsets and natural killer cells in acute pancreatitis.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Alteration of the immune system is one of the major mechanisms responsible for complications in severe acute pancreatitis (AP). The aim of our study was to provide a complex evaluation of peripheral blood monocyte subsets, natural killer cells (NK cells) and cytotoxic T lymphocytes in patients with different severity forms of AP.
  
  
  METHODS
  20 patients with mild AP and 15 with severe AP (S-AP) were included in our study. Peripheral blood mononuclear cells were studied on days 1-3, 5, 10 and 30, by means of flow cytometry.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In peripheral blood of patients with pancreatitis, we found a marked increase in total monocyte count. In S-AP, circulating monocytes were significantly activated, which was presumed from increased expression of HLA-DR, CD54, CD69 and CD25. Concurrent increased expression of CD95 (FasR) may indicate enhanced susceptibility of these cells to apoptosis. In patients with S-AP, a dramatic depletion of circulating NK cells (CD16/56 and CD3- CD8+) was found along with a reduction of circulating CD3+ CD8+ lymphocytes (cytotoxic T lymphocytes).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our findings suggest profound disturbances of innate cellular immunity in patients with S-AP.
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology and Internal Medicine, Medical University of Bialystok, Bialystok, Poland. adabrows@amb.edu.pl
authors.forename: Andrzej
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Dabrowski
authors.forename: Joanna
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Osada
authors.forename: Milena I
authors.initials: MI
authors.lastname: Dabrowska
authors.forename: Urszula
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Wereszczynska-Siemiatkowska
mesh_terms: D000208:Acute Disease; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D017304:Annexin A5 / Q000097:blood; D015703:Antigens, CD / Q000097:blood; D000945:Antigens, Differentiation, T-Lymphocyte / Q000097:blood; D017209:Apoptosis; D017252:CD3 Complex / Q000097:blood; D018414:CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology; D005260:Female; D006684:HLA-DR Antigens / Q000097:blood; D006801:Humans; D018799:Intercellular Adhesion Molecule-1 / Q000097:blood; D053645:Interleukin-2 Receptor alpha Subunit / Q000097:blood; D007694:Killer Cells, Natural / Q000276:immunology*; D037181:Lectins, C-Type; D007958:Leukocyte Count; D018950:Lipopolysaccharide Receptors / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009000:Monocytes / Q000276:immunology*; D010195:Pancreatitis / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology*; D013602:T-Lymphocytes, Cytotoxic / Q000276:immunology*; D019014:fas Receptor / Q000097:blood; D000099192:CD69 Antigens
chemical_list: D017304:Annexin A5; D015703:Antigens, CD; D000945:Antigens, Differentiation, T-Lymphocyte; D017252:CD3 Complex; D006684:HLA-DR Antigens; D018799:Intercellular Adhesion Molecule-1; D053645:Interleukin-2 Receptor alpha Subunit; D037181:Lectins, C-Type; D018950:Lipopolysaccharide Receptors; D019014:fas Receptor; D000099192:CD69 Antigens