[Immunological characteristics of lymphocytes during intensive treatment maintaining remission of acute lymphoblastic leukemia in children and following withdrawal from chemotherapy]. / Charakterystyka immunologiczna limfocytów w trakcie intensywnego leczenia podtrzymujacego remisje ostrej bialaczki limfoblastycznej u dzieci oraz po jego zaprzestaniu.

In 22 children with lymphoblastic leukaemia peripheral blood lymphocytes were studied during 2.5 years of remission-maintaining treatment, and in 7 cases also after stopping treatment. Lymphocytes T and B were identified and lymphocyte surface receptors for complement and for the Fc fragment of IgF were determined. The immunological reactivity of lymphocytes was determined also using the test of PHA-induced blastic transformation. It was found that prolonged chemotherapy caused depression of lymphocytes B in the first place. A fall was observed also in the proportion of cells undergoing transformation. It was shown that after cessation of treatment PHA-reactivity and normal values of lymphocyte subpopulations returned.