title: Abnormalities of quantities and functions of natural killer cells in severe aplastic anemia.
abstract: Severe aplastic anemia (SAA) is a rare disease characterized by severe pancytopenia and bone marrow failure. Natural killer (NK) cells are large granular lymphocytes derived from hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) or common lymphoid progenitors (CLP). They play a key role in n the innate immunity and adaptive immune. In this study, the quantitative and functional changes of natural killer (NK) cell subsets in peripheral blood of severe aplastic anemia (SAA) patients before and after immunosuppressive therapy (IST) were investigated. Results showed that the percentage of NK cells and its subsets in peripheral blood lymphocytes was decreased in SAA patients. After IST, the percentage of NK cells and their subsets increased dramatically. The median expressions of CD158a, NKG2D and NKp46 on NK cells were higher in SAA patients compared to that in normal controls, and the expressions of perforin in newly diagnosed and recovery SAA patients were higher than that in controls. Therefore, we concluded that the decrease of total NK cells, and CD56(bright), CD56(dim) NK cell subsets and the higher expressions of NKp46 and perforin on NK cells may cause the over-function of T lymphocytes and thus lead to hematopoiesis failure in SAA.
authors.affiliation: Department of Hematology, General Hospital of Tianjin Medical University , Tianjin , P.R. China.
authors.forename: Chunyan
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Zhishang
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Weiwei
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Sheng
authors.forename: Rong
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Fu
authors.forename: Lijuan
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Tian
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Yuhong
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: Limin
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Xing
authors.forename: Jia
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Song
authors.forename: Huaquan
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Zonghong
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Shao
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000741:Anemia, Aplastic / Q000097:blood* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D002869:Chromosome Aberrations; D005260:Female; D053804:Granzymes / Q000235:genetics; D006801:Humans; D016130:Immunophenotyping; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D007694:Killer Cells, Natural / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism*; D007958:Leukocyte Count; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D055655:NK Cell Lectin-Like Receptor Subfamily K / Q000235:genetics; D055627:Natural Cytotoxicity Triggering Receptor 1 / Q000235:genetics; D054353:Perforin / Q000235:genetics; D010641:Phenotype; D010976:Platelet Count; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents; C527085:KLRK1 protein, human; C112260:NCR1 protein, human; D055655:NK Cell Lectin-Like Receptor Subfamily K; D055627:Natural Cytotoxicity Triggering Receptor 1; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D054353:Perforin; D053804:Granzymes
keywords: Aplastic anemia; NK lymphocyte; perforin