Histamine protects T cells and natural killer cells against oxidative stress.

• Oxidative stress inflicted by monocytes/macrophages (MO) is recognized as an important immunosuppressive mechanism in human neoplastic disease. We report that two types of lymphocytes of relevance for protection against malignant cells, T cells and natural killer (NK) cells, became anergic to the T cell and NK cell activator interleukin-2 (IL-2) after exposure to MO-derived reactive oxygen metabolites and subsequently acquired features characteristic of apoptosis. The MO-induced anergy and apoptosis in T cells and NK cells were reversed by histamine, an inhibitor of reactive oxygen metabolite synthesis in MO. We propose that strategies to circumvent oxidative inhibition of lymphocytes may be of benefit in immunotherapy of neoplastic disease.

Subject headings

MEDICIN OCH HÄLSOVETENSKAP  -- Klinisk medicin -- Cancer och onkologi (hsv//swe)

MEDICAL AND HEALTH SCIENCES  -- Clinical Medicine -- Cancer and Oncology (hsv//eng)

Keyword

Antigens

CD

blood

Antigens

CD95

blood

Antigens

Differentiation

T-Lymphocyte

blood

Apoptosis

drug effects

Cytoprotection

Histamine

pharmacology

Humans

Immunotherapy

methods

Killer Cells

Natural

drug effects

Lectins

C-Type

Ligands

Macrophages

drug effects

Monocytes

drug effects

Oxidative Stress

drug effects

Reactive Oxygen Species

metabolism

T-Lymphocytes

drug effects

Publication and Content Type

ref (subject category)

art (subject category)