Suppression of peripheral blood natural killer cell activity by excess thyroid hormone

Natural killer (NK) cells were assessed in patients with hyperthyroxinemia due to Graves' disease or treatment with thyroxine (T4). Cytolytic activity was measured with 51Cr-labeled K562 tumor cells and NK enumeration was by flow cytometry using NKH-1 monoclonal antibody to identify the relevant surface marker. Activity was uniformly decreased in association with hyperthyroxinemia, regardless of the underlying pathology; however, there was no reduction in the number of NKH-1+ cells. NK activity was enhanced by addition of interleukin 2 (IL-2) in both control and patients' cells although the value in the latter instance failed to reach the basal control level. Production of IL-2 by lymphocytes from hyperthyroxinemic subjects, in response to phytohemagglutinin, was also reduced. Since NK cells are thought to act as a defense against viral infections and some malignancies and may play a role in autoregulation of the immune system, this effect of T4 may have significant biological implications.