Biomaterial Database

Natural killer cell activity in hepatocellular carcinoma. In vitro and in vivo responses to interferon. 1987

A A Dunk, and D Novick, and H C Thomas

Academic Dept. of Medicine, Royal Free Hospital School of Medicine, London, U.K.

We have measured natural killer (NK) cell activity in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and have examined the effects of in vitro and in vivo administration of alpha-interferon (IFN) on NK cell activity. The NK cell cytotoxicity of HCC patients was significantly lower than that of patients with cirrhosis or healthy controls. Reduced NK cell cytotoxicity in HCC did not correlate significantly with either the serum alpha-foetoprotein concentration or the patient WHO performance grade. NK cell cytotoxicity in all groups could be increased by prior incubation of effector cells with IFN, but this was significant only in HCC patients, in whom 10 IU/ml of IFN increased NK cell cytotoxicity from 37 +/- 10% to 53 +/- 8% (effector to target ratio, 50:1, mean +/- SEM; p less than 0.05). Further increases in IFN concentration failed to increase NK cell activity further. NK cell cytotoxicity was measured immediately before and 24 h after 2.5 x 10(6) IU/m2 of IFN was given subcutaneously to four HCC patients. NK cell cytotoxicity rose from 27 +/- 9% to 61 +/- 5% (effector to target ratio, 50:1, mean +/- SEM; p = 0.05).

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D007372	Interferons	Proteins secreted by vertebrate cells in response to a wide variety of inducers. They confer resistance against many different viruses, inhibit proliferation of normal and malignant cells, impede multiplication of intracellular parasites, enhance macrophage and granulocyte phagocytosis, augment natural killer cell activity, and show several other immunomodulatory functions.	Interferon
D007694	Killer Cells, Natural	Bone marrow-derived lymphocytes that possess cytotoxic properties, classically directed against transformed and virus-infected cells. Unlike T CELLS; and B CELLS; NK CELLS are not antigen specific. The cytotoxicity of natural killer cells is determined by the collective signaling of an array of inhibitory and stimulatory CELL SURFACE RECEPTORS. A subset of T-LYMPHOCYTES referred to as NATURAL KILLER T CELLS shares some of the properties of this cell type.	NK Cells,Natural Killer Cells,Cell, NK,Cell, Natural Killer,Cells, NK,Cells, Natural Killer,Killer Cell, Natural,NK Cell,Natural Killer Cell
D008103	Liver Cirrhosis	Liver disease in which the normal microcirculation, the gross vascular anatomy, and the hepatic architecture have been variably destroyed and altered with fibrous septa surrounding regenerated or regenerating parenchymal nodules.	Cirrhosis, Liver,Fibrosis, Liver,Hepatic Cirrhosis,Liver Fibrosis,Cirrhosis, Hepatic
D008113	Liver Neoplasms	Tumors or cancer of the LIVER.	Cancer of Liver,Hepatic Cancer,Liver Cancer,Cancer of the Liver,Cancer, Hepatocellular,Hepatic Neoplasms,Hepatocellular Cancer,Neoplasms, Hepatic,Neoplasms, Liver,Cancer, Hepatic,Cancer, Liver,Cancers, Hepatic,Cancers, Hepatocellular,Cancers, Liver,Hepatic Cancers,Hepatic Neoplasm,Hepatocellular Cancers,Liver Cancers,Liver Neoplasm,Neoplasm, Hepatic,Neoplasm, Liver
D008875	Middle Aged	An adult aged 45 - 64 years.	Middle Age
D002460	Cell Line	Established cell cultures that have the potential to propagate indefinitely.	Cell Lines,Line, Cell,Lines, Cell
D006528	Carcinoma, Hepatocellular	A primary malignant neoplasm of epithelial liver cells. It ranges from a well-differentiated tumor with EPITHELIAL CELLS indistinguishable from normal HEPATOCYTES to a poorly differentiated neoplasm. The cells may be uniform or markedly pleomorphic, or form GIANT CELLS. Several classification schemes have been suggested.	Hepatocellular Carcinoma,Hepatoma,Liver Cancer, Adult,Liver Cell Carcinoma,Liver Cell Carcinoma, Adult,Adult Liver Cancer,Adult Liver Cancers,Cancer, Adult Liver,Cancers, Adult Liver,Carcinoma, Liver Cell,Carcinomas, Hepatocellular,Carcinomas, Liver Cell,Cell Carcinoma, Liver,Cell Carcinomas, Liver,Hepatocellular Carcinomas,Hepatomas,Liver Cancers, Adult,Liver Cell Carcinomas
D006801	Humans	Members of the species Homo sapiens.	Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D000509	alpha-Fetoproteins	The first alpha-globulins to appear in mammalian sera during FETAL DEVELOPMENT and the dominant serum proteins in early embryonic life.	alpha-Fetoprotein,alpha Fetoprotein,alpha Fetoproteins