NATURAL-KILLER-CELL FUNCTION IN WOMEN WITH VESTIBULITIS

OBJECTIVE: To assess natural killer (NK) cell activity in patients wit vestibulitis. STUDY DESIGN: Twenty-two patients who met the Internati onal Society for the Study of Vulvar Disease criteria for vestibulitis and 17 age-, sex- and race-matched controls were recruited. NK cell a ctivity was examined using a standard, four-hour Cr-51-release assay, freshly and ater stimulation with interleukin 2 (IL2) or alpha interfe ron (IFN alpha). RESULTS: The subject samples had significantly decrea sed fresh NK cell activity (mean lytic units [LU]/10(6) peripheral blo od leukocytes [PBLs] of 0.93 vs. 4.19, P<.001). This activity was augm ented in response to either IFN or IL2. However, it remained significa ntly lower than in the control samples (12.07 vs. 20.6 LU/10(6) PBL, P = .007 for IL2 and 5.98 vs. 15.33 LU/10(6) PBL, P < .001 for IFN). Th is difference was not universal since the major histocompatibility-non restricted T killer cell activity of the subject samples was not signi ficantly different from that in the control samples. CONCLUSION: This pilot study suggests that patients with vulvar vestibulitis have marke dly decreased NK cell activity. Although this activity is increased in response to IL2 or IFN, it remains significantly impaired in comparis on to the control samples.