Depressed spontaneous cellular cytotoxicity associated with normal or enhanced antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity in patients on chronic haemodialysis.

Lymphocyte function as assessed by spontaneous cellular cytotoxicity (NK) and antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity (ADCC) was studied in a group of 23 patients with end-stage renal disease who were being maintained on haemodialysis. The mononuclear cells from 12 (50%) of these patients were markedly reduced in their ability to effect NK activity. When mononuclear cells from 13 patients were examined for ADCC activity, however, only two displayed reduced cytotoxicity. The remainder showed either normal or enhanced ADCC activity against erythrocyte targets. Five patients with consistently low NK cell function demonstrated a significantly enhanced ADCC function when compared with normal controls. Several patients were tested repeatedly over a period of 6 months and we found that these two mononuclear cell functions remained consistent during this time. A reduction in NK activity may reflect a lessened capability for immunosurveillance in these patients.