Abstract
Previous studies have indicated that the degree of stress controllability, rather than stress itself, may be a factor in immunosuppression. In the present study lymphocytes were obtained from individuals living in agricultural settlements in the Jerusalem area who are under the medical supervision of family-oriented primary health care clinics. Peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBL) obtained from married, adult males classified either as "copers" or as "non-copers" were tested for their natural killer (NK) activity and for the expression of the Leu 7 and Leu 11 NK-associated antigens. Differences were noted in the NK activity of PBL obtained from individuals belonging to various ethnic origins. Among Moroccan Jews the NK activity of non-copers was significantly lower than that of copers. In contrast, the proportion of PBL carrying antigenic markers of NK cells (Leu 7 and Leu 11) was higher among copers than among non-copers. Thus, psychosocial stress may lead in non-copers to decreased NK activity paralleled by an increase in the proportion of either immature pre-NK cells or possibly other immunoregulatory cells.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 9-14 |
| Number of pages | 6 |
| Journal | Cancer Detection and Prevention |
| Volume | 12 |
| Issue number | 1-6 |
| State | Published - 1988 |