title: CFU-GM inhibitors in neutropenia.
abstract: Peripheral blood lymphocytes from 20 patients with neutropenia not consistent with aplastic anaemia were tested for their ability to inhibit the proliferation of normal granulopoietic precursor cells (CFU-GM) in agar culture. Two patients, both with features of an autoimmune disorder, had lymphocytes which were more inhibitory than normal lymphocytes to both normal and their own CFU-GM. Two other patients had lymphocytes which were more inhibitory than normal lymphocytes to either their own CFU-GM or normal CFU-GM but not both. Eight patients had lymphocytes which were significantly less inhibitory than normal lymphocytes to either normal or their own CFU-GM, but only one showed this feature against both normal and their own CFU-GM. One patient had a highly potent plasma inhibitor of CFU-GM--this patient had received multiple transfusions and had a leucocyte antibody of a broad specificity. No clinical or haematological features were common to any of these groups of patients which reflects the heterogeneity of patients studied and stresses the importance of controls.
authors.affiliation: Haematology Department, Belfast City Hospital, Northern Ireland.
authors.forename: T C
authors.initials: TC
authors.lastname: Morris
authors.forename: P C
authors.initials: PC
authors.lastname: Vincent
authors.forename: G A
authors.initials: GA
authors.lastname: Young
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Sutherland
authors.forename: P R
authors.initials: PR
authors.lastname: Forrest
authors.forename: A E
authors.initials: AE
authors.lastname: Irvine
authors.forename: J P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Isbister
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000380:Agranulocytosis / Q000097:blood*; D001853:Bone Marrow / Q000378:metabolism; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D003114:Colony-Forming Units Assay; D005260:Female; D006098:Granulocytes / Q000473:pathology; D006412:Hematopoietic Stem Cells / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D008214:Lymphocytes; D008264:Macrophages / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009503:Neutropenia / Q000097:blood*