Immunological defects in healthy twin siblings to patients with Hodgkin's disease.
We studied the immunocompetence of 6 healthy twins, whose monozygotic or dizygotic same-sexed twin partner had died from Hodgkin's disease. Lymphocyte DNA synthesis induced by concanavalin A was markedly reduced at 3 different concentrations in all twins compared to an age-matched group of healthy controls. The lymphocyte response to pokeweed mitogen and to phytohaemagglutinin was  also impaired. PPD induced lymphocyte DNA synthesis was low in 3 twins and correlated well with their delayed skin hypersensitivity to the antigen. One twin was completely anergic to 3 different skin antigens. The mean total blood lymphocyte count did not differ from that of controls. There was no change in T or B-lymphocyte subpopulations. The presence of a functional lymphocyte deficiency in all twins strongly suggests that the immunodeficiency in Hodgkin's disease is partly caused by genetic and/or environmental factors.
D000368:Aged; D003208:Concanavalin A / Q000494:pharmacology; D004247:DNA / Q000096:biosynthesis; D004200:Diseases in Twins / Q000276:immunology*; D005260:Female; D006689:Hodgkin Disease / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology* / Q000401:mortality; D006801:Humans; D006968:Hypersensitivity, Delayed; D007153:Immunologic Deficiency Syndromes; D037102:Lectins / Q000494:pharmacology; D007958:Leukocyte Count; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation; D008214:Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008934:Mitogens / Q000494:pharmacology; D011247:Pregnancy; D012882:Skin Tests; D014429:Twins, Dizygotic; D014430:Twins, Monozygotic
D037102:Lectins; D008934:Mitogens; D003208:Concanavalin A; D004247:DNA