Cell‐mediated Immunity: Effect of Female Genital Tract Cancer, Pregnancy and Immunosuppressive Drugs

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Abstract
Summary: Cell‐mediated immune response was measured by the uptake of tritiated thymidine by lymphocytes cultured in serum‐free medium. Five groups were studied: healthy young women, age‐matched controls, pregnant patients, women with genital tract cancer, and patients who were receiving long‐term treatment with prednisolone and azathioprine. A quantitative assessment of the thymus‐derived “T” lymphocyte was made by its mitogenic response to different doses of phytohaemagglutinin (PHA). There was no significant change in resting lymphocyte activity in any of the above groups. With PHA stimulation, the 3 test groups gave responses significantly below those of healthy controls and age‐matched hospital patients. In pregnancy, depression of response was noted at 20 μg PHA whilst, in cancer and during immunosuppressive therapy, depression was more marked and occurred at 5 μg, 20 μg and 100 μg PHA. The results indicate a disturbance of the “T” lymphocyte function in the 3 conditions studied.