Natural Killer Cell Activity in Infants and Children Excreting Cytomegalovirus

Natural killer cell (NKC) activity against uninfected and cytomegalovirus (CMV)-infected fibroblasts and K562 cells was assessed in 39 infants and children excreting CMV and 89 controls. NKC activity in cord blood specimens, healthy donors up to six months old, and donors older than six months showe...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:The Journal of infectious diseases 1985-02, Vol.151 (2), p.301-307
Main Authors: Harrison, Christopher J., Waner, Joseph L.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Bacterial Infections - immunology
Biological and medical sciences
Child, Preschool
Cytolysis
Cytomegalovirus
Cytomegalovirus Infections - immunology
Cytotoxicity, Immunologic
Fibroblasts
Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology
Humans
Infant
Infants
Infections
K562 cells
Killer Cells, Natural - immunology
Lymphocytes
Microbiology
Natural killer cells
Original Articles
Pneumonia, Viral - etiology
Pneumonia, Viral - immunology
Pulmonary Fibrosis - etiology
Pulmonary Fibrosis - immunology
Replicative cycle, interference, host-virus relations, pathogenicity, miscellaneous strains
T lymphocytes
Virology
Virus Diseases - immunology
Viruses
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Summary:Natural killer cell (NKC) activity against uninfected and cytomegalovirus (CMV)-infected fibroblasts and K562 cells was assessed in 39 infants and children excreting CMV and 89 controls. NKC activity in cord blood specimens, healthy donors up to six months old, and donors older than six months showed significant increases (P < .02) with age. NKC activities of CMV excreters correlated with acute disease characterized by interstitial pneumonitis (IP) and showed differential responses to the three target cells. CMV excreters younger than six months with IP showed greater mean percentage lysis (MPL; 36.6% ± 10.5%) of CMV-infected cells than did those without pneumonitis (25.9% ± 10%) or controls (22.1% ± 8.0%). Excreters older than six months with IP showed activities comparable to controls; NKC activities of excreters without IP were depressed. Significantly elevated activity against uninfected fibroblasts characterized patients with IP regardless of age (MPL, 30.2% ± 7.3% vs. 4.2% ± 2.0% for healthy controls and 6.3% ± 5.4% for excreters without IP). Increased cytolysis of uninfected fibroblasts was therefore associated with more active disease.
ISSN:0022-1899
1537-6613
DOI:10.1093/infdis/151.2.301