ABSTRACT
Data concerning the usefulness of delayed-type hypersensitivity skin tests with recall antigens are exposed. This easy technique has enormous value in the follow-up of the LT dependent immune competence frequently involved in several chronic diseses. We studied 464 patients with ages between 22 and 79 years old. Those 210 healthy controls revealed at least 4,24 ± 1,15 positive skin tests with 1409 ± 287 LTCD4+ cells meanwhile 135 HIV patients showed 2,02 ± 0,80 positive tests with 392 ± 83 LTCD4+ cells and 99 older subjects revealed 2,38 ± 1,15 with 720 ±154 LTCD4+ cells. Statistical differences between the groups were recorded.
Subject(s)
Female , Control Groups , Data Interpretation, Statistical , Hypersensitivity, Delayed , Immunity, Cellular/immunology , Skin TestsABSTRACT
A thymic hormone baptized as thymostimulin coming from children aged between 5-10 years who died after car accidents was obtained by Sephadex G-50 column fractionation. This polypeptide was incubated with atopic and non-atopic human lymphocytes. The level of IL-4 in the supernatant was measured by ELISA. The atopic lymphocytes stimulated by the thymostimulin produced a great quantity of IL-4 (p>0.000001) in comparison with those coming from non-atopic patients. Thus, we postulate that thymic hormones should not be used in the treatment of allergic conditions with high levels of IL-4. The function of this polypeptide was compared with that of bovine timomodulin, which showed lower level of IL-4 (p>_ 0.001).