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. 1986 Apr;64(1):59–64.

Natural killer activity in patients with acute viral hepatitis.

L Chemello, M Mondelli, F Bortolotti, E Schiavon, P Pontisso, A Alberti, E G Rondanelli, G Realdi
PMCID: PMC1542143  PMID: 3089650

Abstract

Using the natural killer (NK) sensitive K562 cell line, enhanced NK cell cytotoxicity was demonstrable early in the course of acute hepatitis B while normal values were obtained in patients studied during convalescence. No evidence of enhanced NK activity was instead obtained in the course of acute non-A, non-B hepatitis. Serum levels of alpha-interferon, as determined by radioimmunoassay (RIA), were significantly increased in patients with acute hepatitis B showing enhanced NK cell activity but not in those with acute non-A, non-B hepatitis and normal NK cell activity. These results suggest that natural cytotoxicity may play a role early in the course of acute hepatitis type B, before antigen-specific T lymphocytes become fully operative.

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Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

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