[NK cells in cutaneous leishmaniasis and their response to medical treatment]

ABSTRACT

WHO remarked Leishmaniasis as a world wide hygienic problem with a highly considerable prevalence in Iran. Mashhad is known as one of the most important foci of the disease in our country. Different responses to medical treatment and various prognosis of patients with cutaneous leishmaniasis as well as the possible role of NK cells in prognosis prompted us to evaluate the percentage of these cells through determining CD16+56 marker by flow cytometry in different groups of patients. In this prospective study conducted in Ghaem Hospital and Bu Ali Research Institute, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences from August 2001 to October 2002, 36 patients with confirmed cutaneous Leishmaniasis were involved .Blood samples collected from them before and after treatment, 29 cases out of these patients successfully carried out the survey and 7 patients excluded for different reasons. Lymphocytes with CD16+56 markers were counted using different monoclonal antibodies such as CD16+56 +obtained from IQ products Co., the Netherlands. In this project, the percentage of NK cells in the total patients and the control group were significantly different [p=0.01] and also the similar results were obtained with patients who respond to treatment after first period of medication [p=0.02] and those who did not [p= 0.04]. Meanwhile, in our study the percentage of NK cells of the whole patients was not significantly different, before and after the treatment. In patients who were sensitive to the treatment and in those who were not the percentage of NK cells were not differing significantly as well. These results suggest that decreased number of NK cells in patient at risk of cutaneous leishmaniasis may increase the infection risk. And also suggest that Glucantime does not affect on the percentage of NK cells in the treatment of the patients