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Natural killer cells in human autoimmune diseases

heapsreal

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http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2999796/

Natural killer (NK) cells have been implicated in tumour surveillance and in the early control of several microbial infections. In autoimmune disease their involvement in these processes has been evaluated in animal models, with conflicting results. Both a disease-controlling and a disease-promoting role have been suggested. In human autoimmune disease only a few studies, mainly descriptive, have demonstrated qualitative and quantitative modification of NK cells. These changes were observed on blood- or tissue-infiltrating NK cells. Taken together with our expanding knowledge of the genetical variability of NK cell receptors and NK cell physiology, these findings pave the way for the dissection of the role of NK cells in human autoimmune diseases. NK cells may be directly involved in these diseases through their potential autoreactivity or through their interaction with dendritic cells, macrophages or T lymphocytes, thereby inducing excessive inflammation or favouring the adaptive autoimmune response. Thus, Natural killer (NK) cells have been implicated in tumour surveillance and in the early control of several microbial infections. In autoimmune disease their involvement in these processes has been evaluated in animal models, with conflicting results. Both a disease-controlling and a disease-promoting role have been suggested. In human autoimmune disease only a few studies, mainly descriptive, have demonstrated qualitative and quantitative modification of NK cells. These changes were observed on blood- or tissue-infiltrating NK cells. Taken together with our expanding knowledge of the genetical variability of NK cell receptors and NK cell physiology, these findings pave the way for the dissection of the role of NK cells in human autoimmune diseases. NK cells may be directly involved in these diseases through their potential autoreactivity or through their interaction with dendritic cells, macrophages or T lymphocytes, thereby inducing excessive inflammation or favouring the adaptive autoimmune response. Thus, NK cells may be implicated in the onset, the maintenance or the progression of autoimmune diseases. Some reports also suggest the involvement of NK cells in the treatment of human autoimmune disease by biotherapies. All these observations suggest that NK cells are involved in the complex processes of autoimmune diseases. Nevertheless, further careful analysis of NK cells at different steps of these diseases, in different tissues and through combined genetical and functional studies will contribute to a better understanding of their role in autoimmune diseases. This knowledge might allow the development of new therapeutic strategies based on NK cells for the treatment of some autoimmune diseases.

NK cells have been first described by their ability to kill leukaemic cells without prior sensitization. They represent a small proportion of blood lymphocytes and do not express a specific receptor for antigens, as do T and B cells. NK cells have been implicated in tumour surveillance and in the early control of microbial infections, including infections with viruses (such as herpesvirus) and intracellular parasites.
 

heapsreal

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I haven't had a computer for a while now, just my phone. So normally have studies i posted saved, but not on my phone.

There are several things i have posted online in the past and later done a google search and find someone commenting on something cfs related. I usually start reading it go wow ok i agree with this dude but as i read on i realize its something I have posted. Lol
 

Seven7

Seven
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@heapsreal Welcome Back!!!! I struggle w low Nk (COUNT vs Activity) but LDN raised it better than the immunovir. Dr K told me that even though 4.5mg is a target does not mean you cannot increase and see if that helps. I am on 9mg now and I can see NK raising. Will get tested and again and will keep you posted.
 

leokitten

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@heapsreal and others I would say that one of the most important findings mentioned in this review as it relates to ME, and this is something that his been known in autoimmune diseases for quite a long time, is this:
Observed changes in NK cells in human autoimmune diseases
Changes in circulating blood NK cells
Quantitative and qualitative NK cell variations have been reported in human autoimmune diseases. In several cases of autoimmune disease, a reduction in the number of circulating NK cells has been shown.913 This quantitative defect is usually paralleled by a decrease in NK cell cytotoxicity.9,14 This defect gave rise to the hypothesis that circulating NK cells are involved in the control of the autoimmune reaction, as has been shown for regulatory T cells. It could also be interpreted as a consequence of chronic NK cell activation associated with excessive NK cell apoptosis. A decrease in NK cell differentiation from haematopoietic stem cells has also been proposed to explain in part the NK cell deficiency.14 Very few changes in NK cell receptor expression have been found in these autoimmune diseases, and these changes do not seem to explain the functional deficiency observed.12,15,16 The findings of these studies underline the difficulties inherent in correlating quantitative and qualitative NK cell variations with autoimmune disorders and in distinguishing between a causative role and a consequence of the disease or associated treatments. For example, severe varicella was reported to be associated with profound NK cell deficiency, which was first thought to be causative but finally found to be transiently caused by the infection.17

Reduced NK cell numbers and function are found in a number of autoimmune diseases. While it's true that reduced NK cell numbers and/or function are not specific to autoimmune diseases and can also happen due to severe or chronic infection, its still another piece of evidence that ME could be an autoimmune disease.

Also if anyone does any digging on Pubmed they will also find that it's well known in many autoimmune diseases that patients have increased viral load and titers to intracellular pathogens, just like in ME. Not sure if anyone's mentioned this before here on PR.

While the debate and research over whether ME and many autoimmune diseases are caused or driven by pathogens will continue I think we should take a page from the autoimmune disease community, get treatments as soon as possible that target the autoimmune pathology of the disease so we can return to a pseudo-normal life while the scientific community continues to elucidate what is actually causing it.
 
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heapsreal

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@leokitten
Interesting.
The researchers at griffith were trying to find a difference in nk function between ME and other autoimmune disorders . I know they were looking into comparing nk function with MS and RA in some sort of study. They have found that nk bright cells ate the specific nk cell thats abnormal so from memory they wanted to compare nk function as well a nk bright and dim cells .

Im not sure they did this research as they seem to have gone in the direction of studying cytokines .