Natural killer-cell activity and the response to interferons α, β, and γ in patients with primary biliary cirrhosis

• Published in: Journal of allergy and clinical immunology Vol. 84; no. 2; pp. 214 - 218
• Main Authors: Matheson, David S., Green, Bridget J., Minuk, Gerald Y.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York, NY Elsevier Inc 01.08.1989; Elsevier; Elsevier Limited
• Subjects: Adult; Aged; Autoimmune diseases; Biological and medical sciences; Chronic Disease; Chronic illnesses; Cirrhosis; Digestive system; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; Drug Evaluation; Experiments; Female; Humans; Interferon Type I - therapeutic use; Interferon-gamma - therapeutic use; Killer Cells, Natural - drug effects; Killer Cells, Natural - immunology; Laboratories; Liver; Liver cirrhosis; Liver Cirrhosis, Biliary - immunology; Liver Cirrhosis, Biliary - therapy; Lymphocytes B; Male; Medical research; Medical sciences; Middle Aged; Natural killer cells; Patients; Pharmacology. Drug treatments; Primary biliary cirrhosis; Time Factors; α-Interferon; IFN; PBC; NK; PBMC; FCS
• ISSN: 0091-6749; 1097-6825
• DOI: 10.1016/0091-6749(89)90327-8

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 (α, β, and γ) 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-α, β, and γ 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.