Lymphocyte and NK cell subpopulations in HIV seronegative Thais.
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Date
2003-06-25
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Abstract
Lymphocyte subpopulations, i.e. T, B and natural killer (NK) cells including NK cell subsets which express CD16 molecules (with or without co-expression of CD56 molecules) and NK cell subsets which express CD56 molecules (with or without co-expression of CD16 molecules) were enumerated by two color-flow cytometry in a total of 125 HIV seronegative Thai adults. The study demonstrated relatively low CD4 counts in the subjects, i.e. 26.3% of them had a CD4 count of less than 500 cells/microl. In contrast, their NK cell counts were relatively high. Statistical analyses of the percentage values showed that females had significantly higher CD3 (total T cells), but lower NK cell counts as compared to males (p < 0.05). Regarding age variation, an increase of 1.1% of CD4 cells per decade was seen. It was roughly estimated that about 86% of NK cells harbored both CD16 and CD56 molecules. Collective data from several studies including the present one suggest that high NK cell counts may be a compensation for low CD4 cell counts in Mongoloid people. Thus, the role of NK cells in the defense cascade against viral infections, especially human immunodeficiency virus infections deserves further investigation.
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Published by the Allergy and Immunology Society of Thailand.
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Citation
Assawawitoontip S, Puthavathana P, Pattanapanyasat K, Sukpanichnant S, Thammataksin S, Honda M, Warachit P. Lymphocyte and NK cell subpopulations in HIV seronegative Thais. Asian Pacific Journal of Allergy and Immunology. 2003 Jun; 21(2): 95-103