Perforin gene expression in granular lymphocyte proliferative disorders
K Oshimi, Y Shinkai, K Okumura, Y Oshimi and H Mizoguchi
Department of Medicine, Tokyo Women's Medical College, Japan.
By Northern blot analysis using a cDNA clone of the perforin gene, we
studied the levels of perforin mRNA in peripheral blood mononuclear cells
from 11 cases of granular lymphocyte-proliferative disorders (GLPDs). The
granular lymphocytes studied were characterized by morphologic,
immunophenotypic, and immunogenotypic analyses. Cytolytic functions of the
lymphocytes assayed included nonmajor histocompatibility complex-requiring
cytotoxicity, anti-CD3-redirected cytotoxicity, antibody-dependent cellular
cytotoxicity, and lectin- dependent cellular cytotoxicity. The results
showed that in lymphocytes with strong cytolytic functions high levels of
perforin mRNA existed, whereas in lymphocytes with weak or undetectable
levels of cytolytic functions, low levels of perforin mRNA existed. Because
the levels of perforin mRNA correlated with those of cytolytic functions,
perforin is probably a mediator in cytolytic functions of granular
lymphocytes in patients with GLPDs. When the lymphocytes were cultured for
1 day, however, the levels of cytolytic activity were increased, and those
of perforin mRNA were decreased. Therefore, we cannot rule out the
possibility that factors other than perforin protein are involved in the
cytolytic functions of granular lymphocytes.
Volume 75,
Issue 3,
pp. 704-708,
02/01/1990
Copyright © 1990 by The American Society of Hematology
