title: Abnormal phytohemagglutinin-induced T-cell proliferative responses in Hodgkin's disease.
abstract: Optimal conditions were established for evaluating the phytohemagglutinin-induced proliferative responses of purified peripheral blood T lymphocytes. This assay was utilized to determine whether T cells (in the absence of monocytes and serum inhibitory factors) from patients with Hodgkin's disease were defective in their ability to proliferative in response to optimal (50 microgram/ml) and suboptimal (25 and 12.5 microgram/ml) concentrations of phytohemagglutinin. T cells from 6 of 12 untreated patients exhibited 6-day proliferative responses below the range of 15 control subjects using optimal mitogen concentrations, and 9 of 12 patients exhibited subnormal responses using lower concentrations. Kinetic analyses indicated that the abnormal T-cell proliferative responses were characterized by peak proliferation occurring at day 4 or 5, rather than day 6. The observed abnormalities were not related to elevations in the proportions of T cells bearing surface receptors for IgG (T gamma Cells). Our results suggest that intrinsic functional T-cell defects contribute to the impaired immunity associated with Hodgkin's disease.
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D006689:Hodgkin Disease / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010835:Phytohemagglutinins; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D010835:Phytohemagglutinins