title: Effect of recombinant alpha-interferon administration on peripheral blood lymphocyte subpopulations and natural killer cell activity in patients with refractory anemia with excess of blasts.
abstract: Peripheral blood lymphocyte subpopulations and natural killer cell activity (NKa) were determined in 7 patients with refractory anemia with excess of blasts (RAEB) subjected to alpha-interferon (alpha-IFN) administration. Patients received subcutaneously 3 MU alpha-IFN three times a week for 3 consecutive months, and studies were done just before and one month after the cessation of alpha-IFN administration. Before starting alpha-IFN, the patients NKa was severely reduced in relation to control (p less than 0.001), natural killer (NK) cells (CD16+ cells) and suppressor/cytolytic T-lymphocytes (CD8+ cells) were within normal range, while helper/inducer T-lymphocytes (CD4+ cells), as well CD4+/CD8+ cell ratio, were significantly reduced (p less than 0.001 and p less than 0.001, respectively). Significant diminution was also noted in B-lymphocyte numbers (CD19+ cells) (p less than 0.05). Following alpha-IFN administration, NKa values increased significantly in comparison to pre-IFN values (p less than 0.05), but failed to reach normal range. CD3+ cells and CD8+ cells decreased (p less than 0.05 and p less than 0.02), while CD4+ cells and CD4+/CD8+ cell ratio did not change significantly. A statistically significant rise was observed in CD16+ cells (p less than 0.05). The sensitivity of NK-cells against alpha-IFN and interleukin-2 (IL-2) added in vitro, was also significantly increased (p less than 0.05). The findings indicate that alpha-IFN administration may affect some disturbed immunologic functions in patients with RAEB, but further studies are needed to elucidate the mechanism and the extent of this action.
authors.affiliation: Department of Hematology, University of Crete School of Medicine, PePaGNH Hospital, Greece.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Eliopoulos
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Coulocheri
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Vaiopoulos
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Alexandrakis
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Ganotakis
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Eliopoulos
authors.forename: X
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Yataganas
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000754:Anemia, Refractory, with Excess of Blasts / Q000188:drug therapy*; D000954:Antigens, Surface / Q000032:analysis; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007370:Interferon Type I / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D007376:Interleukin-2 / Q000627:therapeutic use; D015979:Killer Cells, Lymphokine-Activated / Q000502:physiology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D016176:T-Lymphocyte Subsets / Q000187:drug effects*
chemical_list: D000954:Antigens, Surface; D007370:Interferon Type I; D007376:Interleukin-2; D011994:Recombinant Proteins