Natural killer cell cytotoxicity and lymphocyte perforin expression in veterans with posttraumatic stress disorder

• Published in: Progress in neuro-psychopharmacology & biological psychiatry Vol. 34; no. 4; pp. 597 - 604
• Main Authors: Gotovac, Katja, Vidović, Anđelko, Vukušić, Herman, Krčmar, Tomislav, Sabioncello, Ante, Rabatić, Sabina, Dekaris, Dragan
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Amsterdam Elsevier Inc 30.05.2010; Elsevier
• Subjects: Adult and adolescent clinical studies; Anxiety disorders. Neuroses; Biological and medical sciences; Combat Disorders - immunology; Combat Disorders - metabolism; Croatia; Cytotoxicity, Immunologic - immunology; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; Glucocorticoid receptors; HPA-axis; Humans; Hydrocortisone - blood; Hypothalamo-Hypophyseal System - immunology; Hypothalamo-Hypophyseal System - metabolism; Immunophenotyping; Intracellular perforin; Killer Cells, Natural - immunology; Killer Cells, Natural - metabolism; Life Change Events; Lymphocytes - immunology; Lymphocytes - metabolism; Male; Medical sciences; Neuropharmacology; NK cell activity; Perforin - metabolism; Pharmacology. Drug treatments; Pituitary-Adrenal System - immunology; Pituitary-Adrenal System - metabolism; Post-traumatic stress disorder; Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; Psychology. Psychoanalysis. Psychiatry; Psychopathology. Psychiatry; PTSD; Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic - diagnosis; Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic - immunology; Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic - metabolism; Stress, Psychological - immunology; Stress, Psychological - metabolism; Surveys and Questionnaires; Veterans; War trauma; Croatia; MANCOVA; BDI; War trauma; WB; Intracellular perforin; ANCOVA; M-PTSD; FITC; FDR; IES-R; E:T; DSM; CD; IL; Glucocorticoid receptors; PBMC; STAI; HPA-axis; NK cell activity; PTSD; PE; DEX; m.f.i; FCS; GCR; HPA; DTH; NKCC; CTL; PerCP; DPBS; NK; Human; Cytolysin; Hypothalamohypophysoadrenal axis; Anxiety disorder; Cytotoxicity; War; Posttraumatic stress disorder; Trauma; Stress; Natural killer cell; Glucocorticoid receptor; Intracellular; Veteran; Lymphocyte; Hormonal receptor
• ISSN: 0278-5846; 1878-4216
• DOI: 10.1016/j.pnpbp.2010.02.018

To examine the effect of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) on the measures of immune function and the hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal axis components, and to determine whether additional life stressors affect measured variables. We simultaneously examined the natural killer cell cytotoxicity (NKCC), perforin and glucocorticoid receptor (GCR) expression in natural killer (NK) and cytotoxic T (CD8) cells, as well as serum cortisol concentration in a group of Croatian war veterans with chronic, combat-related PTSD ( n = 29) and a group of healthy, age-matched men ( n = 13). PTSD patients were divided into two subgroups: compensation-seeking ( n = 15) and retired or compensation non-seeking ( n = 14) subjects. The former includes those involved in the process of getting disability-based army retirement as an additional life stressor. NKCC was decreased in both PTSD groups when compared to controls. Impairment of NKCC could not be attributed to the perforin expression as perforin was not decreased in comparison to controls. Moreover, the increased level of perforin was recorded in NK cells of retired PTSD subjects. Both PTSD groups shared an increased relative quantity of GCR in lymphocytes, whereas no difference between the groups in the baseline levels of serum cortisol was observed. Diminished NKCC was not accompanied by perforin insufficiency in PTSD subjects, and other causes should be examined. An additional life stressor does not contribute considerably to either immune or endocrine system related changes.