Immunopathology of human schistosomiasis mansoni: II. NK activity and stimulation by specific antigen
Sixteen S. mansoni infected and untreated patients (5 with recent infection and 11 with chronic disease) were evaluated for their in vitro natural killer (NK) activity against the NK sensitive target K562 cell line. NK levels in 9 out of 11 patients (82%) with chronic disease were significantly lowe...
Published in: | Revista do Instituto de Medicina Tropical de São Paulo |
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Main Authors: | , , , , |
Format: | Article in Journal/Newspaper |
Language: | English |
Published: |
Universidade de São Paulo (USP)
1988
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Subjects: | |
Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1590/S0036-46651988000600002 https://doaj.org/article/0a06dd17174147dca29fab52b45c70e2 |
Summary: | Sixteen S. mansoni infected and untreated patients (5 with recent infection and 11 with chronic disease) were evaluated for their in vitro natural killer (NK) activity against the NK sensitive target K562 cell line. NK levels in 9 out of 11 patients (82%) with chronic disease were significantly lower (mean = 15 ± 6%),compared with patients recently infected (mean = 41 ± 9% p < 0.001) and with the control group (mean = 38 ± 13% p < 0.001). However, both patients and controls NK activity was stimulated by soluble adult worm antigens (SAWA), indicating that NK function even in the chronic stage of the infection is able to respond to the parasite antigens. These results suggest the possibility of NK cell participation as effector mechanism against S. mansoni. |
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