Basic and interferon-augmented natural killer (NK) cell activity in psoriasis

The natural killer (NK) cell activity of lymphocytes from 24 psoriatic patients was compared with that of 34 normal controls and 19 patients with non-psoriatic dermatoses. In the range of effector/target cell ratios used (6.25 to 100), the basal NK cell activity level was similar in the three groups. Moreover, both interferon alpha (IFN-alpha) and interferon gamma (IFN-gamma) augmented the NK cell activity to the same extent in psoriasis as in the two control groups. We conclude that this important natural cancer surveillance mechanism is functioning properly in psoriatic patients.