Autologous enhancement by interferon of natural killer activity of human peripheral blood lymphocytes.

The in vitro action of interferon (IFN)-alpha and IFN-gamma from six healthy donors and ten patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) on natural killer (INK) activity of peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBL) was studied in an autologous system. The NK activity of PBL was detected by a cytotoxic test using (3)H-uridine human erythromyeloblast K562 cells. Autologous IFN-alpha and IFN-gamma did not augment NK activity of PBL from healthy donors in vitro, whereas in samples from MS patients the IFNs strongly stimulated NK cell cytotoxic function. This stimulation suggests the existence of an inhibitor of regulatory IFN action, that is produced in healthy donors simultaneously with IFN in response to IFN induction, but which is lacking in commercial IFN preparations. The factor-containing supernatants from healthy donors reduced the stimulatory action of autologous IFNs in patients with MS almost until complete blockade. Because this inhibitor was absent in patients with MS, deficiency of an inhibitor of IFN regulatory action in MS could open the way to treatment of this compartment of the immune system.

[Interactions of interferon with other immunomodulators in the regulation of human natural killer cell activity]. / Vzaimodeistvie interferona s drugimi immunomoduliatorami reguliatsii aktivnosti estestvennykh killerov cheloveka.

The cytotoxic activity of natural killer (NK) cells isolated from peripheral blood of 20 healthy donors and 34 patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) against labelled with H3-uridine target cells K-562 before and after their 1 hr treatment with reaferon (RF), T-activin (TA), myelopid (MP), opioid preparation dalargin (DL) as well as with combinations of TA, MP and DL with RF was studied in 14 hrs cytotoxic test. It has been shown that combination of RF with TA, MP and DL changed the regulatory action of these peptides on NK cell activity in healthy donors in vitro. The same combination of the preparations in patients with MS caused another changes in regulation of NK activity by them because NK cells in MS patients had had initially changed sensitivity to action of these regulatory polypeptides.

[Age-related characteristics of the natural cytotoxicity system in patients with multiple sclerosis and their possible relation to the pathogenesis of the disease]. / Vozrastnye osobennosti sistemy estestvennoi tsitotoksichnosti u bol'nykh rasseiannym sklerozom i ikh vozmozhnaia sviaz' s patogenezom zabolevaniia.

A study was made of the cytotoxic activity of natural killers (NK) against 3H-uridine labeled K-562 cells and its variability. 56 patients suffering from multiple sclerosis (MS), 33 healthy donors of different age and 34 patients with remitting MS and MS of different standing were entered into the study. The most remarkable lowering of the NK activity was seen in patients aged 41 to 50 years. In patients aged 51 to 59 years, the NK activity was not different from that in a group of healthy donors. The most pronounced increase of the variability index (VI) was recorded in patients aged 41 to 50 years. In the senior age group (from 51 to 59 years), the VI of the NK activity was 1.7 to 2.8 times as reduced as compared to the healthy control. It has been revealed that the changes in the NK activity and its variability in the respective patients' groups are of concomitant nature and that the estimates undergo fluctuations in the counterphase. During studies of the NK activity as dependent on the disease standing, NK deficiency was found to be associated with the gravity of the patient's clinical status and long disease standing. A possible relation of the changes in the NK activity and its variability to the disease pathogenesis is under discussion as are the compensation mechanisms that get triggered during depletion of the system according to the secondary deficiency type.

[The natural cytotoxicity system in patients with multiple sclerosis: clinico-immunological parallels]. / O sisteme estestvennoi tsitotoksichnosti u bo'lnykh rasseiannym sklerozom: kliniko-immunologicheskie paralleli.

The cytotoxic activity of natural killer (NK) cells against target cells K-562 was studied in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS). NK activity was increased in patients with remitting course of the disease, its duration of 6 to 10 years and 1 to 3 degree of neurologic defect. The immunocorrective therapy reduced the NK activity in some patients of any group. The authors discuss the possible role of natural cytotoxic system in the pathogenesis of autoimmunization in MS, and the value of NK population assessment for singling out a group of patients that would beneficially respond to immunocorrective therapy.