[Antibody-dependent and natural cellular cytotoxicity in patients with dilated cardiomyopathy]

A study was made of the functional activity of natural killer cells (NK-cells), antibody dependent cellular cytotoxicity of killer cells (K-cells) and the effect of interferon (alpha-IFN) in vitro on function of these cells in a group of donors and patients with dilated cardiomyopathy (DCMP) as well as in patients with chronic coronary heart disease (CHD) and myocardial infarction (MI). Patients with DCMP might be divided into 3 groups according to the nature of NK- and K-cell functional activity: in a grave and rapid DCMP course the functional activity of NK- and K-cells was sharply decreased, a favorable course of disease was characterized by normal or raised values of their cytotoxicity. Patients with a severe type of DCMP revealed profound depression of lymphocyte killer activity.