title: [Alterations of NK cell frequency and function in HIV/HCV co-infected patients].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To study the impacts of HIV/HCV co-infection to NK cells by investigating the changes of frequencies and functions of NK cells in HIV/HCV co-infected patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  Frequencies and counts of NK cells were measured in patients with HIV mono-infection, HCV monoinfection, HIV/HCV co-infection and health control (HC) group by flow cytometer (FCM). After stimulated with PMA and K562 cells, PBMCs were examined the proportion of IFN-gamma+ NK cells by FCM. Proportion of killed K562 cells were detected to analyze the killing functions of NK cells.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The frequencies of NK cells, the percentages of IFN-gamma+ NK cells as well as the functions of NK cells killing the K562 cells in HIV/HCV co-infection, HIV mono-infection and HCV mono-infection groups were all lower than those of HC group significantly, the absolute counts and killing functions of NK cells in co-infection group were significantly lower than those of HIV or HCV mono-infection group.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The counts and functions of NK cells were affected more in HIV/HCV co-infections than those in HIV or HCV mono-infection.
authors: Treatment and Research Center for Infectious Disease of the 302 Hospital of PLA, Beijing 100039, China.
authors: Xin
authors: X
authors: Zhang
authors: Peng
authors: P
authors: Zhao
authors: Fu-biao
authors: FB
authors: Kang
authors: Xin-wei
authors: XW
authors: Zhang
authors: Chan
authors: C
authors: Si
authors: Xue-li
authors: XL
authors: Chen
authors: Wei-wei
authors: WW
authors: Chen
authors: Min
authors: M
authors: Zhao
mesh_terms: D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002452:Cell Count; D060085:Coinfection / Q000276:immunology*; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000276:immunology*; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D020014:K562 Cells; D007694:Killer Cells, Natural / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology*