Normal development of lymphokine activated killing (LAK) in peripheral blood lymphocytes from hyperprolactinemic...

The effect of prolactin on the interleukin 2 (IL2)-driven development of Lymphokine Activated Killing (LAK) by normal PBL and by PBL from hyperprolactinemic patients was investigated. Concentrations of PRL corresponding to the physiological serum levels of the hormone and to the Kd of the PRL receptors on NK cells (6-20 ng/ml, 0.3-1 nM) had no effect on the generation of LAK activity by normal PBL, whereas 100-200 ng/ml were slightly, although significantly, inhibitory. By contrast, PBL from 16 hyperprolactinemic patients developed levels of LAK activity comparable with those generated by PBL from age- and sex-matched normoprolactinemic donors.