Killer cell (K-cell) population in chronic liver disease.

Peripheral blood killer cell (K-cell) population of patients with chronic hepatitis was investigated by means of a plaque-assay method using sheep red blood cells. The mean K-cell population of 14 control subjects was 5.1 +/- 2.0% (mean +/- SD), and that of 28 patients with chronic hepatitis was 4.4 +/- 3.1%. These 28 patients were divided into three groups: CPH, CAH 2A and CAH 2B. The mean K-cell population of each group was decreased in order of the severity of the disease. Especially, that of patients with CAH 2B was a statistically significant decrease (p less than 0.01) from control subjects. In the course most patients with CAH, K-cell population did not change for three months after admission. K-cell population was observed to decrease in the patients with active stage of liver cirrhosis, but not in patients with the terminal stage of liver cirrhosis, even in hepatoma patients. It is suggested that the K-cell population may play an important role of pathogenesis of chronic hepatitis.