title: Cytotoxic effects of polymorphonuclear leukocytes and macrophages in patients undergoing lymph depletion via thoracic duct drainage.
abstract: It has been previously reported that both human peripheral blood monocyte derived macrophages and polymorphonuclear leukocytes acquire enhanced cytotoxicity for tumor cells. Lymphocyte depletion by thoracic duct cannulation prior to renal transplantation has been shown to suppress allograft rejection. However, the effects of thoracic duct drainage on macrophage and polymorphonuclear leukocyte function is not known. When the macrophages obtained from thoracic duct drainage patients were studied prior to cannulation, four of the five patients possessed cytotoxic macrophages. At 1 to 2 weeks post thoracic duct drainage, cytotoxicity was significantly depressed whereas by 3 weeks post thoracic duct cannulation most of the patients' macrophages exhibited maximal cytotoxicity. Approximately 3 1/2 weeks after cannulation these five patients received cadaveric renal transplants. The cytotoxic effects of the macrophages were tested again after transplantation and it was found that the macrophages became incapable of killing the tumor targets. In contrast to our findings with macrophage mediated cytotoxicity, the polymorphonuclear leukocytes generally retained their cytotoxic capabilities at all time points tested. However, it was noted that cytotoxic activity reached maximal levels within the first 3 weeks after cannulation but fell to low cytotoxic levels at approximately 4 to 5 weeks after cannulation. When tested several months post cannulation and transplantation, polymorphonuclear leukocyte mediated cytotoxicity increased dramatically in four of the five patients studied.
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002404:Catheterization; D003602:Cytotoxicity, Immunologic; D004322:Drainage / Q000009:adverse effects*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007700:Kinetics; D008264:Macrophages / Q000276:immunology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009504:Neutrophils / Q000276:immunology*; D013897:Thoracic Duct