PMID: 2503552Aug 1, 1989Paper

Natural killer-cell activity and the response to interferons alpha, beta, and gamma in patients with primary biliary cirrhosis

The Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology
D S MathesonG Y Minuk

Abstract

Primary biliary cirrhosis (PBC) is a chronic, life-threatening disorder that is believed to be immunologically mediated. Abnormal immunologic findings have been detected in T suppressor cell activity, B cell responsiveness, and natural kill (NK)-cell function. NK-cell function has been described as low and to be poorly responsive to high concentrations of interferon (IFN). The present study was initiated to determine the response of NK-cell function of patients with PBC to all forms of IFN (alpha, beta, and gamma) at low concentrations. Ten patients were assessed on two occasions approximately 5 months apart. There was a significant decrease in the NK-cell function in a 4-hour assay but only one patient had low NK-cell function after an 18-hour assay. The augmentation of NK-cell activity secondary to 10 and 50 U/ml of IFN-alpha, beta, and gamma was equivalent in the patients and in the control subjects. The relative increase induced by IFN was higher during the 4-hour assay than in the 18-hour assay. Hence, there may be a kinetic impairment of NK-cell function in patients with PBC, but the ultimate lytic activity, and response to the various forms of IFN, are normal.

References

Feb 26, 1987·The New England Journal of Medicine·M M Kaplan
Oct 21, 1985·FEBS Letters·M M Ferguson, F G McDonald
Oct 1, 1983·Annals of Internal Medicine·S P JamesE A Jones

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Citations

Nov 30, 2000·Journal of Hepatology·P A FanningE E Powell
Mar 5, 2008·Regulatory Toxicology and Pharmacology : RTP·Jieru MengYingqi Zhang
Aug 30, 2008·Hepatology : Official Journal of the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases·Nidal MuhannaRifaat Safadi

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