The PIG-anchoring defect in NK lymphocytes of PNH patients
J Schubert, P Uciechowski, P Delany, HJ Tischler, W Kolanus and RE Schmidt
Abt. Immunologie und Transfusionsmedizin, Medizinische Hochschule Hannover,
Federal Republic of Germany.
Paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria (PNH) is clinically characterized by
intravascular hemolysis, hemoglobinuria, iron deficiency anemia, and venous
thrombosis. Pathophysiologically the disease has now been generally
accepted as an acquired defect of phosphatidylinositol glycan
(PIG)-anchored molecules on the cell surface of bone marrow-derived cells.
This defect is functionally characterized by an abnormal susceptibility to
complement-mediated lysis and has been described on erythrocytes,
granulocytes, monocytes, and platelets. In contrast, contradictory data
exist so far on the involvement of lymphocytes and natural killer (NK)
cells. Using monoclonal antibodies (MoAbs) against newly defined PIG-linked
surface structures such as CD48, CD55, and CD59, which are homogeneously
expressed on lymphocytes of normal donors, we analyzed lymphocytes and
their subpopulations in nine PNH patients by two color immunofluorescence.
Our results showed that CD3+ T cells as well as CD16+ NK cells are at least
partially involved in the deficient PIG-molecule surface expression. To
more clearly define the defect in PNH, we generated NK clones from a PNH
patient. Phenotypic analysis of these NK clones showed that they either
were positive (n = 3) for PIG-linked surface structures such as CD48, CD55,
and CD59 (eg, NKP1) or were completely negative (n = 7) for all of them
(eg, NKP1). In functional tests the PIG-molecule negative clone NKP2 showed
increased susceptibility to human complement compared with the PIG molecule
positive clone NKP1. When analyzing the mRNA levels of the PIG-linked
molecules CD55 and CD59 there was no difference at all between the two
clones. We conclude from our data that NK cells as well as other lymphocyte
subpopulations are involved in the PIG-linkage defect of PNH. These NK
clones with differential expression of PIG- linked surface structures
present for the first time ex vivo mutant cell lymphocyte lines that carry
the defect leading to PIG deficiency in PNH.
Volume 76,
Issue 6,
pp. 1181-1187,
09/15/1990
Copyright © 1990 by The American Society of Hematology