ABSTRACT
14 patients with chronic myelocytic leukemia were evaluated immunologically; no difference was found in mean lymphocyte percentage and absolute number between patients and healthy subjects. 4 cases (28.5%) showed decreased percentage of T lymphocytes, while only 2 cases (14.2%) had decreased absolute T lymphocyte values. PHA transformation was decreased in 57% of the patients. Spontaneous transformation in the short-term cultures exceeded the normal range in 65% of the cases. All patients skin tested were found to be reactive. Most of the patients had defective cellular immune response in vitro, probably related with a qualitative defect in T lymphocyte subpopulations. It cannot be completely excluded that part of the observed lymphocyte depression was due to the busulfan.
Subject(s)
Leukemia, Myeloid/immunology , Adult , Aged , Female , Humans , Immunity, Cellular , Leukemia, Myeloid/blood , Leukocyte Count , Lymphocyte Activation , Lymphocytes , Male , Middle Aged , Rosette Formation , Skin Tests , T-Lymphocytes/immunologyABSTRACT
T lymphocyte counts in the peripheral blood, lymphocyte response to phytohaemagglutinin (PHA) and delayed hypersensitivity reactions were studied in ten patients with paroxysmal nocturnal haemoglobinuria (PNH). Delayed hypersensitivity was abnormal in most patients and in vitro studies revealed impaired lymphocyte transformation to PHA in 50 per cent of the cases. These tests gave evidence of a functional alteration of lymphocytes in some PNH patients. The hypothesis of a disorder originated in a pluripotent lymphohaematopoietic stem cell is suggested.
