NATURAL KILLER (NK) CELL ACTIVITY IN PARENTS OF CHILDREN WITH BRONCHIAL ASTHMA

Abstract

Natural killer cell activity in children with bronchial asthma and their parents was examined using K-562 cells as the target cells. NK cell activity was significantly low in children with bronchial asthma and their fathers compared with the age-sex-matched control group, but it was not significantly different in their mothers. These results suggest that low NK cell activity in children with bronchial asthma may be a genetic trait received from their fathers. No differences could be found between the subjects and the control group concerning the presence or absence of allergic anamnesis. Augmentation of NK cell activity by interferon-alpha was found not only in the control group but also in parents of children with bronchial asthma.