Natural Killer (NK) Cell Activity and NK-related Cell Surface Markers in Patients with Atopic Dermatitis

Natural killer (NK) cell activity and NK-related surface markers in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) in thirty-three patients with adult type atopic dermatitis (AD) were investigated. NK cell activity, detectable by cytolysis of erythroleukemic cell line K562 cells, was reduced in patient PBMC as compared with healthy controls. Imbalances in the lymphocyte populations reactable with the monoclonal antibodies, anti-HNK-1, and anti-CD16 were found in the patient PBMC. Some positive correlations between these cell populations and the NK cell activities were recognized. In most cases, high levels of serum IgE were inversely correlated with NK cell activity. Depletion of the macrophages from patient PBMC had no effect on NK cell activities. These activities were enhanced by culture with β-interferon for 18 hours, as were the NK cell activities of healthy controls. These results suggest that reduced numbers or imbalances in the lymphocyte population with NK cell activity, are responsible for the pathogenesis and the prognosis of adult type atopic dermatitis.