Natural killer cell activity in multiple sclerosis and myasthenia gravis.

Because of the potential role of Natural Killer (NK) cells in viral immunity and immunoregulation, we have undertaken a study of NK activity of peripheral blood lymphocytes from both Multiple Sclerosis (MS) and Myasthenia Gravis (MG) patients, two chronic diseases in which a viral etiology and an induced autoregulatory abnormality are strongly implicated. No significant difference between the mean NK activity in MS patients and controls was observed. A difference was observed between the NK activity of female MG patients and female controls, but no difference was seen between male MG patients and controls.