title: Circulating CD56dim NK cells expressing perforin are increased in progressive multiple sclerosis.
abstract: In this study we evaluated the percentages of CD3(-)CD56(bright), CD3(-)CD56(dim), CD3(-)CD56(bright)perforin(+) and CD3(-)CD56(dim)perforin(+) Natural Killer (NK) cells in peripheral blood from untreated secondary progressive (SP) and primary progressive (PP) multiple sclerosis (MS) patients and age and sex matched healthy subjects. Both PPMS patients and SPMS patients showed increased percentages of circulating CD3(-)CD56(dim)perforin(+) NK cells than healthy subjects. The increased percentage of CD3(-)CD56(dim) NK cells expressing perforin in patients affected by the progressive forms of MS suggests a possible role of this NK cell subpopulation in the pathogenesis of the disease.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Neurology, Catholic University, Rome, Italy. Electronic address: domenicoplantone@hotmail.com.
authors.forename: Domenico
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Plantone
authors.forename: Alessandro
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Marti
authors.forename: Giovanni
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Frisullo
authors.forename: Raffaele
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Iorio
authors.forename: Valentina
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Damato
authors.forename: Viviana
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Nociti
authors.forename: Agata Katia
authors.initials: AK
authors.lastname: Patanella
authors.forename: Assunta
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bianco
authors.forename: Massimiliano
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mirabella
authors.forename: Anna Paola
authors.initials: AP
authors.lastname: Batocchi
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D019002:CD56 Antigen / Q000378:metabolism*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D004185:Disability Evaluation; D005260:Female; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D006801:Humans; D007694:Killer Cells, Natural / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D020528:Multiple Sclerosis, Chronic Progressive / Q000097:blood* / Q000473:pathology*; D054353:Perforin / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D019002:CD56 Antigen; D054353:Perforin
keywords: Cytotoxicity; Natural Killer cells; Progressive multiple sclerosis