Biomaterial Database

Effect of psychosocial stress on natural killer cell activity. 1988

M Schlesinger, and Y Yodfat

Hubert H. Humphrey Center for Experimental Medicine and Cancer Research, Hebrew University-Hadassah Medical School, Jerusalem, Israel.

Previous studies have indicated that the degree of stress controllability, rather than stress itself, may be a factor in immunosuppression. In the present study lymphocytes were obtained from individuals living in agricultural settlements in the Jerusalem area who are under the medical supervision of family-oriented primary health care clinics. Peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBL) obtained from married, adult males classified either as "copers" or as "non-copers" were tested for their natural killer (NK) activity and for the expression of the Leu 7 and Leu 11 NK-associated antigens. Differences were noted in the NK activity of PBL obtained from individuals belonging to various ethnic origins. Among Moroccan Jews the NK activity of non-copers was significantly lower than that of copers. In contrast, the proportion of PBL carrying antigenic markers of NK cells (Leu 7 and Leu 11) was higher among copers than among non-copers. Thus, psychosocial stress may lead in non-copers to decreased NK activity paralleled by an increase in the proportion of either immature pre-NK cells or possibly other immunoregulatory cells.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D007108	Immune Tolerance	The specific failure of a normally responsive individual to make an immune response to a known antigen. It results from previous contact with the antigen by an immunologically immature individual (fetus or neonate) or by an adult exposed to extreme high-dose or low-dose antigen, or by exposure to radiation, antimetabolites, antilymphocytic serum, etc.	Immunosuppression (Physiology),Immunosuppressions (Physiology),Tolerance, Immune
D007557	Israel	A country in the Middle East, bordering the Mediterranean Sea, between Egypt and Lebanon. The capital is Jerusalem.
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
D008019	Life Style	Typical way of life or manner of living characteristic of an individual or group. (From APA, Thesaurus of Psychological Index Terms, 8th ed)	Lifestyle Factors,Life Style Induced Illness,Lifestyle,Factor, Lifestyle,Life Styles,Lifestyle Factor,Lifestyles
D008297	Male		Males
D012016	Reference Values	The range or frequency distribution of a measurement in a population (of organisms, organs or things) that has not been selected for the presence of disease or abnormality.	Normal Range,Normal Values,Reference Ranges,Normal Ranges,Normal Value,Range, Normal,Range, Reference,Ranges, Normal,Ranges, Reference,Reference Range,Reference Value,Value, Normal,Value, Reference,Values, Normal,Values, Reference
D005190	Family	A social group consisting of parents or parent substitutes and children.	Family Life Cycles,Family Members,Family Life Cycle,Family Research,Filiation,Kinship Networks,Relatives,Families,Family Member,Kinship Network,Life Cycle, Family,Life Cycles, Family,Network, Kinship,Networks, Kinship,Research, Family
D006801	Humans	Members of the species Homo sapiens.	Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D012931	Social Environment	The aggregate of social and cultural institutions, forms, patterns, and processes that influence the life of an individual or community.	Social Context,Environment, Social,Social Ecology,Context, Social,Contexts, Social,Ecologies, Social,Ecology, Social,Environments, Social,Social Contexts,Social Ecologies,Social Environments
D012944	Social Support	Support systems that provide assistance and encouragement to individuals with physical or emotional disabilities in order that they may better cope. Informal social support is usually provided by friends, relatives, or peers, while formal assistance such as COMMUNITY SUPPORT is provided by churches, groups, etc.	Perceived Social Support,Social Care,Online Social Support,Care, Social,Online Social Supports,Perceived Social Supports,Social Support, Online,Social Support, Perceived,Social Supports, Online,Social Supports, Perceived,Support, Online Social,Support, Perceived Social,Support, Social,Supports, Perceived Social