TY - JOUR
T1 - Impaired natural killer activity in patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia is associated with a deficiency of azurophilic cytoplasmic granules in putative NK cells
AU - Kay, N. E.
AU - Zarling, J. M.
N1 - Copyright:
Copyright 2020 Elsevier B.V., All rights reserved.
PY - 1984
Y1 - 1984
N2 - This study was undertaken to gain further insight into the severely impaired natural killer (NK) activity we and others have previously observed in patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL). Normal individuals' NK cells are large granular lymphocytes (LGL) that (A) bind to and lyse NK-sensitive cells, including K562, (B) express receptors for the Fc portion of IgG (FcR+ cells), and (C) express cell surface antigens reactive with monoclonal antibodies (OKM1, 9, 6, and OKT11A. We thus examined lymphocytes depleted of monocytes and B cells, from 6 CLL patients and 6 normal individuals, that were identified on the basis of binding to K562, expressing OKM1, or expressing receptors for the Fc portion of IgG. In the CLL patients studied, lymphocytes that bind to K562 cells, as well as OKM1+ cells isolated by fluorescence activated cell sorting, were morphologically similar to LGL of normal individuals, with the exception that more than 75% of the patients' cells were deficient in azurophilic cytoplasmic granules, which typify normal individuals' LGL. Furthermore, although the percentages of the patients' FcR+ cells reactive with OKT11A, 9.6, and OKM1 were very similar to those of normals, the majority of the patients' FcR+ cells were deficient in azurophilic granules and lacked NK activity. These findings indicate that the impaired NK activity in CLL patients is associated with cells that are phenotypically and morphologically NK cells, but which lack azurophilic granules that are thought to play a role in NK-mediated lysis.
AB - This study was undertaken to gain further insight into the severely impaired natural killer (NK) activity we and others have previously observed in patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL). Normal individuals' NK cells are large granular lymphocytes (LGL) that (A) bind to and lyse NK-sensitive cells, including K562, (B) express receptors for the Fc portion of IgG (FcR+ cells), and (C) express cell surface antigens reactive with monoclonal antibodies (OKM1, 9, 6, and OKT11A. We thus examined lymphocytes depleted of monocytes and B cells, from 6 CLL patients and 6 normal individuals, that were identified on the basis of binding to K562, expressing OKM1, or expressing receptors for the Fc portion of IgG. In the CLL patients studied, lymphocytes that bind to K562 cells, as well as OKM1+ cells isolated by fluorescence activated cell sorting, were morphologically similar to LGL of normal individuals, with the exception that more than 75% of the patients' cells were deficient in azurophilic cytoplasmic granules, which typify normal individuals' LGL. Furthermore, although the percentages of the patients' FcR+ cells reactive with OKT11A, 9.6, and OKM1 were very similar to those of normals, the majority of the patients' FcR+ cells were deficient in azurophilic granules and lacked NK activity. These findings indicate that the impaired NK activity in CLL patients is associated with cells that are phenotypically and morphologically NK cells, but which lack azurophilic granules that are thought to play a role in NK-mediated lysis.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=0021336528&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=0021336528&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1182/blood.v63.2.305.bloodjournal632305
DO - 10.1182/blood.v63.2.305.bloodjournal632305
M3 - Article
C2 - 6607080
AN - SCOPUS:0021336528
SN - 0006-4971
VL - 63
SP - 305
EP - 309
JO - Blood
JF - Blood
IS - 2
ER -