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Reduced natural killer (NK) function associated with high-risk myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) and reduced expression

Pearlie K Epling-Burnette1, Fanqi Bai, Jeffrey S Painter

  • 1Immunology Program, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center, MRC 3 West, Tampa, FL 33612, USA. pearlie.burnette@moffitt.org

Blood
|March 8, 2007
PubMed

Insights

Natural killer (NK) cell activity is reduced in myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) patients, correlating with disease progression. Impaired NK function may contribute to MDS progression by evading immune surveillance.

Area of Science:

  • Immunology
  • Hematology
  • Oncology

Background:

  • Myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) involve ineffective blood cell production and can progress to acute myeloid leukemia (AML).
  • Natural killer (NK) cells are crucial for immune surveillance against cancer cells.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate NK cell cytolytic function in MDS patients.
  • To determine the correlation between NK cell function and MDS disease characteristics.

Main Methods:

  • Compared NK cell activity in 48 MDS patients and 37 healthy donors using K562 cytolysis assay.
  • Assessed NK receptor expression (NKp30, NKG2D) and NKG2D ligand expression on bone marrow cells.

Main Results:

  • MDS patients exhibited significantly reduced NK cell cytotoxicity compared to healthy donors (19% vs 40%).
  • Impaired NK function correlated with higher International Prognostic Score, abnormal karyotype, excess blasts, and bone marrow hypercellularity.
  • Down-regulation of NKG2D receptor on NK cells was closely associated with reduced NK function (P = .001).

Conclusions:

  • NK cell cytolytic function is globally impaired in MDS patients.
  • Reduced NK function, partly due to decreased NKG2D expression, may facilitate MDS progression.
  • Evasion of NK cell immunosurveillance could play a role in MDS pathogenesis.

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