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NK activity and NK-like non-specific cytolysis after PPD, rubella and measles antigen stimulation in multiple

J Ilonen, T Nurmi, M Reunanen

    Journal of the Neurological Sciences
    |January 1, 1987
    PubMed

    Insights

    Multiple sclerosis patients exhibit reduced natural killer cell activity compared to healthy individuals. This cytotoxic activity further declines in vitro, but antigen stimulation shows comparable responses in both groups.

    Area of Science:

    • Immunology
    • Neuroscience

    Background:

    • Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic inflammatory disease of the central nervous system.
    • The role of cytotoxic immune cells in MS pathogenesis remains incompletely understood.

    Purpose of the Study:

    • To investigate the cytotoxic activity of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) in MS patients compared to healthy controls.
    • To assess the impact of in vitro culture and antigen stimulation on cytotoxic activity.

    Main Methods:

    • Blood samples from 14 MS patients and age/sex-matched healthy controls were analyzed.
    • Cytotoxic activity against K562 cells was measured on collection day and after 3 days of in vitro culture.
    • Cultures were supplemented with medium alone, purified protein derivative of tuberculin (PPD), or inactivated rubella/measles virus antigens.

    Main Results:

    • MS patients showed significantly lower spontaneous cytotoxic activity than controls at baseline and after culture (P < 0.025).
    • Cytotoxic activity decreased more significantly during in vitro culture in MS patients (P < 0.05).
    • Antigen stimulation, particularly with PPD, increased NK-like cell-mediated cytolysis (NK-like CMC) similarly in both groups, correlating with lymphocyte blast transformation.

    Conclusions:

    • MS patients have impaired spontaneous cytotoxic activity, which is further diminished by in vitro culture.
    • The response to viral and PPD antigens, as well as lymphocyte proliferation, is preserved in MS patients, suggesting intact adaptive immune responses to these specific stimuli.

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