Serial study of T lymphocytes in childhood leukemia during remission.
Peripheral blood T lymphocyte numbers and function were studied in 22 children on UKALL X maintenance chemotherapy over a 2-year period, and results were compared with 20 healthy children. CD4 and CD8 subsets were enumerated using indirect immunofluorescence, and specific (HSV-1) and polyclonal (Con A, PWM) activation was studied by proliferation and IL-2/IL-4 production in vitro. T lymphocytes were significantly decreased with a greater fall in CD4 than CD8 T lymphocyte numbers. Proliferation responses were slightly but significantly decreased whereas IL-2 and IL-4 production were not significantly different from control values. These findings suggest that decreased numbers of CD4 helper T cells may be the most important factor in clinical immunodeficiency during maintenance chemotherapy for cALL contributing to increased susceptibility to opportunistic infections and argue against the presence of T lymphocytes with defective function.
Lovat
P E
PE
Department of Immunology, University of Newcastle upon Tyne, United Kingdom.
Robinson
J H
JH
Windebank
K P
KP
Kernahan
J
J
Watson
J G
JG
D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007376:Interleukin-2 / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000494:pharmacology; D015847:Interleukin-4 / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000494:pharmacology; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation; D054198:Precursor Cell Lymphoblastic Leukemia-Lymphoma / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000276:immunology*; D016176:T-Lymphocyte Subsets / Q000276:immunology; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*
D007376:Interleukin-2; D015847:Interleukin-4