title: Immune deficiency in family members of patients with Hodgkin's disease.
abstract: Indirect data supporting a preexisting immunologic impairment in patients with Hodgkin's disease (HD) have been presented in recent years. These immunologic defects are supposed to be related to genetic and/or environmental factors. In this study, 65 first-degree relatives and 12 spouses of 21 consecutive patients with HD were studied immunologically. Furthermore, seven twin pairs in which one partner had HD and four additional nonmatched healthy co-twins were also included in the study. A decreased lymphocyte DNA synthesis induced by Concanavalin A, a high spontaneous DNA synthesis, or a low CD4+/8+ ratio was found in 21 (32%) consanguineous, two (17%) nonconsanguineous relatives, and five (50%) healthy co-twins. The corresponding figures for the untreated patients with HD and the control series were 14 of 21 (65%) and 21 of 127 (16%), respectively. Total lymphocyte counts or lymphocyte subpopulations did not differ between HD relatives and controls. The increased frequency of blood lymphocyte defects among consanguineous first-degree relatives favors the existence of a genetically determined immune deficiency in at least a proportion of apparently healthy relatives of patients with HD. However, nongenetic factors such as age and environment may add to the defect.
authors.affiliation: Department of General Oncology, Karolinska Hospital, Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, Sweden.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Merk
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Björkholm
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Tullgren
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Mellstedt
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Holm
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003208:Concanavalin A / Q000276:immunology; D004247:DNA / Q000096:biosynthesis; D005192:Family Health; D005260:Female; D006689:Hodgkin Disease / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D007153:Immunologic Deficiency Syndromes / Q000150:complications / Q000235:genetics*; D008214:Lymphocytes / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D014427:Twins / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: D003208:Concanavalin A; D004247:DNA