Further studies of natural killer cell function in Chediak-Higashi patients

Spontaneous natural killer (NK) activity and antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity (ADCC) of blood lymphocytes against five human tumour cell lines (K562, Molt-4, HL-60, Chang, Daudi) and three mouse tumour lines (YAC, P815, RBL-5) were ten- to 100-fold lower than normal in six patients with Chediak-Higashi (CH) disease. NK and ADCC were defective at 4 hr, and less so at 18 hr. The NK activity in normals and CH patients was mediated in part by FcR+, E- effector cells. ADCC against human erythrocytes was normal in CH patients, as were lectin-dependent cytolysis and mixed lymphocyte proliferative responses. Phagocytosis of antibody-coated ox erythrocytes was normal in CH patients as well. These observations confirm that the CH syndrome is associated with a profound and selective defect in NK and ADCC activity against tumour cells, whereas other mononuclear cell-mediated functions are normal.