Phenotypic and functional study of natural killer cells in tuberculous pleurisy patients

Japanese Journal of Medicine
Y OkuboS Kusama

Abstract

The phenotypic and functional characteristics of the cells that mediate "natural killer" (NK) cytolysis were examined by using anti-Leu 7 monoclonal antibody specific for NK cell in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PMC) and pleural effusion mononuclear cells (PEMNC) from the tuberculous pleurisy patients. The proportion of Leu 7+ cells in PEMNC was observed significantly lower than in PMC, whether the patients were treated or not. Before treatment NK cell activity, precisely cytotoxicity against K 562, in PEMNC was apparently higher than in PMC. There was little relationship between proportion of leu 7+ cells and NK cell activity. Further, the mechanism of high NK cell activity in PEMNC was analysed by coculture with a healthy control's PMC and a tuberculous pleural effusion. The NK cell activity of Leu 7+ cells was augmented by low molecular soluble factor(s).

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