ABSTRACT
We experienced a case of adult T cell leukemia/lymphoma (ATLL) in a 48-year-old Korean female, who has never been abroad since birth and no history of blood transfusion. The patient had hypercalcemia and multiple lymphadenopathy. Histopathologic study of left cervical lymph node (LN) and bone marrow (BM) revealed that infiltrates of malignant lymphoid cells were composed of small, medium and large cells with pleomorphic nuclei. Smears of peripheral blood (PB) showed lymphopenia (16%) with the appearance of a few atypical lymphoid cells (less than 2%), but not the typical clover leaf cells seen in ATLL. Immunophenotypic study of LN and BM revealed T cell phenotype. PB showed increased CD4+ T cell (T(H), CD3/CD4+, 57%) and decreased CD8+ T cell counts (T(S), CD3/CD8+, 6.7%). The sera of the patient and her family were reactive for HTLV-I antibody. The specific sequences of pol, env, and tax of HTLV-I DNA were detected in the lymphoma cells and peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) using polymerase chain reaction. Ultrastructural examination of PBMC confirmed numerous type c virus particles in extracellular space. This case was an acute type of ATLL without overt leukemic features in PB. Despite chemotherapy and intensive conservative treatment, she died 3 months after admission.
Subject(s)
Female , Humans , Biopsy , Bone Marrow/pathology , DNA, Viral/analysis , Fatal Outcome , Flow Cytometry , Gene Products, env/genetics , Gene Products, pol/genetics , Gene Products, tax/genetics , Deltaretrovirus Infections/pathology , Human T-lymphotropic virus 1 , Hypercalcemia/virology , Hypercalcemia/pathology , Immunophenotyping , Korea , Leukemia, T-Cell/virology , Leukemia, T-Cell/pathology , Leukemia, T-Cell/immunology , Lymph Nodes/pathology , Lymphopenia/virology , Lymphopenia/pathology , Lymphopenia/immunology , Microscopy, Electron , Middle Aged , T-Lymphocytes/virology , T-Lymphocytes/ultrastructure , T-Lymphocytes/pathologyABSTRACT
A obstruçäo biliar pode ter, como complicaçöes pós-operatórias, uma incidência elevada de infecçöes. Esta incidência tem sido atribuída à reduçäo da resposta imunitária celular, às custas de polimorfonucleares e linfócitos, além de reduçäo da capacidade fagocitária de macrófagos. Com o objetivo de avaliar o padräo histológico esplênico desse modelo, estudaram-se cortes histológicos do baço de sete animais submetidos a ligadura do ducto biliar por período de sete dias. A histologia desses órgäos foi comparada com a de outros oito animais submetidos a cirurgia simulada e sacrificados no mesmo intervalo de tempo. Os resultados obtidos demonstraram depressäo linfocitária, com reduçäo dos folículos linfóides, em seis das sete amostras observadas dos animais com ligadura do ducto biliar comum (p<0,05). Os resultados sugerem que a obstruçäo biliar promove alteraçöes imunitárias näo somente nas células circulantes, o que poderia estar relacionado com a depressäo imunitária e maior predisposiçäo à infecçäo nesses pacientes.
Subject(s)
Animals , Male , Rats , Rats, Sprague-Dawley/surgery , Common Bile Duct/surgery , Lymphopenia/immunology , Spleen/anatomy & histology , Cholestasis/surgery , Postoperative Complications/immunology , Lymphocyte DepletionABSTRACT
Twenty five patients with alopecia areata and 20 healthy controls were studied by flowcytometry employing direct two colour immunofluorescence in erythrocyte lysed whole blood. A significant reduction was observed in helper/inducer (CD4+) lymphocytes (29.4 +/- 7.4 vs 39.45 +/- 8.0, P < 0.01) and B (CD 19+) lymphocytes (11.04 +/- 6.57 vs 15.0 +/- 5.05, P < 0.01) in comparison with healthy controls. Decrease in T-lymphocytes (CD3+) and suppressor/cytotoxic (CD8+) was not significant and activated (HLADR+) lymphocytes and natural killer cells (CD16+ and CD56+) were within normal limits. Our findings suggest a significant T helper (CD4+) and B (CD19+) cell lymphopenia in alopecia areata.
Subject(s)
Adolescent , Adult , Alopecia Areata/immunology , Antigens, CD19/blood , CD4 Antigens/blood , Case-Control Studies , Child , Child, Preschool , Female , Flow Cytometry , Humans , Lymphopenia/immunology , MaleABSTRACT
Immune status of 22 patients of ataxia telangiectasia was studied over a period of 8 yr (mean age of patients: 9.5 +/- 3 yr; 9 of 22 were siblings). Low T-cell number was observed in 14 of 19 patients but the response to PHA challenge done in 10 patients was normal and migration inhibition to BCG antigen was positive in 6 of 6 patients. IgM defect was seen in 2 out of 18 patients and serum IgA was deficient in 10 out of 18 patients. Salivary IgA was also absent in these children. Four children had high spontaneous NBT reduction. None of the patients had lymphoma, leukemia or any other malignancy at the time of presentation. Candida killing was normal in all patients. The presenting feature related to the CNS in almost all children and gross infections were not seen.