Adverse reactions due to leucocyte and platelet antibodies.

Each blood transfusion exposes the recipient to the hazards of immunisation to histocompatibility antigens as well as white cell and platelet antigens. As the number of transfusions received by a patient increases so too does the likelihood of the development of antibodies which may by their multispecific character effectively prevent lifesaving therapy in the future. Special steps can and should be taken to minimise the risks of immunisation in the group of patients who will be dependent on long term transfusion therapy. An extension of knowledge about the antigenic systems of leucocytes and platelets, including HLA, and the introduction of more specific tests for the detection of antibodies directed against them should assist in the provision of more appropriately matched blood components.

Immunotherapy for cancer: an overview.

Immunotherapy of cancer is of interest to oncologists because it is specifically directed to cancer cells, sparing normal cells. While it is ineffective in most patients, especially those with widespread metastatic disease, it occasionally produces good results. Each of the available methods has inherent problems and, recently, attempts have been made to overcome some of these. There is a strong case for small-scale experimental trials in highly selected groups of patients who are intensively investigated for their immunologic status in relation to their tumour. Despite the lack of success in general, immunotherapy still appears to have a future as an adjunct to existing therapy in order to control as much as to cure residual tumour.

Human histocompatibility (HL-A) antigens in semen and their role in reproduction.

Seminal plasma from 7 of 10 normal persons was found to inhibit anti-HL-A2, 3, 7, 8, and 12 antisera specifically. Inhibition by seminal plasma appeared quantitatively less than that by whole serum and even less than that by platelets from the same individuals. No decrease in the number of offspring was found due to increased numbers of HL-A incompatibilities of the male spouse in 67 normal couples. No clear decrease in the number of pregnancies was observed in normal women with lymphocytotoxic antibodies. A similar study with infertile persons may yet reveal a role for HL-A antigens in human reproduction.