title: Enhanced lymphocyte proliferation in patients with adrenoleukodystrophy treated with erucic acid (22:1)-rich triglycerides.
abstract: Lymphocytopenia and depression of natural killer cells have been observed in patients with adrenoleukodystrophy (ALD) treated with glycerol trioleate and glycerol trierucate ('Lorenzo's oil'). To investigate possible alterations of cellular immunoreactivity, we measured lymphocyte proliferation in response to mitogens (PHA, Con A, PWM, OKT3) in 27 patients on treatment and in 14 patients without treatment. In patients on treatment, lymphocyte proliferation in response to the mitogens PHA and Con A was significantly higher than in patients without treatment. Lymphocyte proliferation in patients without treatment was comparable to that of normal control lymphocytes. Additionally, we found increased concentrations of erucic acid, C22:1, in lymphocytes from patients with treatment. The enhanced proliferation of lymphocytes in response to mitogens is an indication of increased reactivity of cellular immunity to unspecific immunological stimuli. Long-term side-effects on cellular immunoreactivity have to be considered in ALD patients treated with Lorenzo's oil.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neuropediatrics, Children's Hospital University of Göttingen, Germany.
authors.forename: R B
authors.initials: RB
authors.lastname: Pour
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Stöckler-Ipsiroglu
authors.forename: D H
authors.initials: DH
authors.lastname: Hunneman
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Gahr
authors.forename: G C
authors.initials: GC
authors.lastname: Korenke
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Pabst
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Hanefeld
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Peters
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000326:Adrenoleukodystrophy / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy*; D000328:Adult; D002455:Cell Division / Q000187:drug effects; D002648:Child; D004032:Diet; D004042:Dietary Fats, Unsaturated / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004338:Drug Combinations; D004883:Erucic Acids / Q000378:metabolism / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D018655:Lymphocyte Count / Q000187:drug effects; D008214:Lymphocytes / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008934:Mitogens / Q000494:pharmacology; D014304:Triolein / Q000627:therapeutic use*
chemical_list: D004042:Dietary Fats, Unsaturated; D004338:Drug Combinations; D004883:Erucic Acids; C079420:Lorenzo's oil; D008934:Mitogens; C049811:erucic acid; D014304:Triolein