Lymphocyte subset composition in peripheral blood from normal subjects may be influenced by both spleen size and plasma norepinephrine. NLM AIDSLINE Important note: Information in this article was accurate in 1996. The state of the art may have changed since the publication date.

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Lymphocyte subset composition in peripheral blood from normal subjects may be influenced by both spleen size and plasma norepinephrine.

Scand J Clin Lab Invest. 1995 Nov;55(7):643-8. Unique Identifier : AIDSLINE MED/96187513
Knudsen JH; Court-Payen M; Kjaersgaard E; Christensen NJ; Department of Internal Medicine and Endocrinology, University of; Copenhagen, Herlev Hospital, Denmark.

Abstract: The aim of the present study was twofold: (a) to confirm a previously observed negative relationship between plasma catecholamines and the percentage of natural killer (NK) cells in peripheral blood from resting human subjects, and (b) to examine the relationship between the size of the spleen and the composition of circulating lymphocyte subsets in resting subjects. A total of 14 young healthy male subjects were investigated in a supine resting position. Lymphocyte subset composition was determined with two-colour flow cytometry, and lymphocyte subsets were expressed as percentages of mononuclear cells. Spleen size was evaluated with ultrasonography. Plasma catecholamines were determined. Plasma norepinephrine and the percentage of NK-cells (CD3-CD56+) were negatively correlated (rs = -0.62, p = 0.019). The CD4/CD8 ratio and plasma norepinephrine were positively correlated (rs = 0.57, p = 0.037) and the major part of this correlation was due to a correlation between plasma norepinephrine and the percentage of CD4+ cells. The percentage of NK cells (CD3-CD56+) was predicted by a multiple regression model including the percentage of CD8+ cells and the spleen index, a measure of spleen size (r = 0.93, p < 0.001). The correlation in the resting state between plasma norepinephrine and the percentage of NK cells (negative correlation) on the one hand and the CD4/CD8 ratio (positive correlation) on the other contrasts with the acute mobilizing effects of epinephrine, isoproterenol and exercise on lymphocyte subsets. These relationships remain unexplained, but results accord with the hypothesis that catecholamines may have dual effects on lymphocyte subsets. The results support the view that the spleen may have a depot function for NK cells.
Keywords: Adrenergic alpha-Agonists/*BLOOD Adult CD4-CD8 Ratio Flow Cytometry Human Killer Cells, Natural/*PHYSIOLOGY Linear Models Lymphocyte Subsets/*PHYSIOLOGY Male Norepinephrine/*BLOOD Reference Values Spleen/*ANATOMY & HISTOLOGY/IMMUNOLOGY/ULTRASONOGRAPHY Support, Non-U.S. Gov't JOURNAL ARTICLEKWDadrenergicalpha-agonists/KWDbloodadultcd4-cd8ratioflowcytometryhumankillercells,natural/KWDphysiologylinearmodelslymphocytesubsets/KWDphysiologymalenorepinephrine/KWDbloodreferencevaluesspleen/KWDanatomy&histology/immunology/ultrasonographysupport,non-uKWDsKWDgov'tjournalarticle
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