Natural killer cell activity during measles

Abstract

SUMMARYNatural killer cells are postulated to play an important role in host anti-viral defences. We measured natural killer cell activity in 30 individuals with acute measles (73 + 21 lytic units (LU)/10' cells) and 16 individuals with other infectious diseases (149 + 95 LU) and found it reduced compared with values for adults (375 + 70 LU; P<000\) or children (300±73 LU, P<OQ\) without infection. Reduced natural killer cell activity was found in measles patients with (84 + 30 LU) and without (55 + 18 LU) complications and was present for at least 3 weeks after the onset of the rash. Activity was increased by in vitro exposure of cells to interleukin-2. Depressed natural killer cell activity parallels in time the suppression of other parameters of cell-mediated immunity that occurs during measles.

The anti-canine distemper virus activities of ex vivo-expanded canine natural killer cells

“…*p < 0.05. (Okada et al, 2000) and that loss of NK cell activity is correlated with measles disease progression (Griffin et al, 1990). Taken together, these previous results imply that NK cells play an important role in protection against both certain viral infections and progression of these viral diseases.…”

“…Numerous studies have found that human NK cells are important in the immune response to a number of viruses, including influenza virus, vaccinia virus, hepatitis B virus, WNV, HIV-1, and measles virus (Griffin et al, 1990;Johansson et al, 2011;Kottilil et al, 2003;Lin et al, 2012;Shabani et al, 2014;Vidal et al, 2011;Zhang et al, 2010). Additionally, NK cell activation levels are negatively correlated with virus DNA levels in infected patients (Kottilil et al, 2003;Shabani et al, 2014).…”

Measles Virus Infection: Mechanisms of Immune Suppression

“…However, MV has been shown to depress IL-12 synthesis in vitro and to dampen NK cell activity in vivo (Griffin et al, 1990b;Karp et al, 1996). Production of IL-12 from DCs is also suppressed by MV (Karp et al, 1998).…”

“…With regard to other innate defence mechanisms, MV does not appear to hamper either complement activation in vitro or IFN-γ production in vivo (Patrick Sissons et al, 1979). However, MV has been shown to depress IL-12 synthesis in vitro and to dampen NK cell activity in vivo (Griffin et al, 1990b;Karp et al, 1996). In addition to their antiviral function, IFN-α/β have potent effects in regulating specific immune response.…”

Measles virus, immune control, and persistence

“…MeV replication in vitro is sensitive to the inhibitory effects of IFNα/β. There is little evidence that type I IFN is produced in vivo during the acute phase of disease (Griffin et al, 1990; Leopardi et al, 1992; Schnorr et al, 1993; Tanabe et al, 2003; Yu et al, 2008) and this may be important for virulence as mutation of the V gene leads to virus attenuation (Devaux et al, 2011). IL-1 and IL-8 can be detected in plasma (Zilliox et al, 2007), but roles for these factors in control of MeV infection have not been identified.…”