title: Recovery of blood T-cell subsets after chemotherapy for childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia.
abstract: Recovery of cell-mediated immunity after cessation of chemotherapy for childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) was investigated in 14 children to monitor the duration of immune deficiency. The numbers of blood T cells and their subsets were analyzed at 0, 1, 3, 6, 9 and 12 months after discontinuation of therapy with monoclonal antibodies and flow cytometry. The total T-cell count was low at cessation but normalized at 1 to 3 months, whereas the T-cell subsets CD4+, CD8+, CD4+Leu8-, and CD4+CD45RA+ recovered differently. In children ages 3 to 6 years, the numbers of CD4+ cells and their subsets were normal at cessation, whereas in children ages 7 to 18 years, CD4+ and CD4+Leu8+ cell counts normalized only at 6 months. The numbers of CD8+ cells or activated T cells were not increased and the CD4+/CD8+ ratio was not inverted, unlike recovery after bone marrow transplantation. Although the groups showed a mean reversion to normal values by 6 months, there were individual patients who continued to have subnormal values for 1 year after therapy, some of whom exhibited increased susceptibility to infections.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Turku University Central Hospital, Finland.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Alanko
authors.forename: T T
authors.initials: TT
authors.lastname: Salmi
authors.forename: T T
authors.initials: TT
authors.lastname: Pelliniemi
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000367:Age Factors; D015703:Antigens, CD / Q000097:blood; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001424:Bacterial Infections / Q000517:prevention & control; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007958:Leukocyte Count; D008297:Male; D054198:Precursor Cell Lymphoblastic Leukemia-Lymphoma / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000276:immunology*; D016176:T-Lymphocyte Subsets / Q000276:immunology*; D013997:Time Factors; D015662:Trimethoprim, Sulfamethoxazole Drug Combination / Q000627:therapeutic use
chemical_list: D015703:Antigens, CD; D015662:Trimethoprim, Sulfamethoxazole Drug Combination