Cell mediated immunity to herpesvirus type 1 in carcinoma and pre-cancerous lesions.

  • 1 August 1973
    • journal article
    • Vol. 1, 128-34
Abstract
The response of lymphocytes to Herpesvirus hominis type 1 (HVH1), Candida albicans and phytohaemagglutinin was studied sequentially over a period of 3 years in patients with leukoplakia and carcinoma. In the keratosis-acanthosis group of leukoplakia there was a significant decrease in stimulation of lymphocytes by HVH1, in contrast to epithelial atypia which yielded both increased stimulation indices and macrophage migration inhibition to HVH1. Non-specific depressed cell mediated immune responses were found in carcinoma. Sequential data revealed major fluctuations in stimulation indices to HVH1 during the course of epithelial atypia and a fall in the stimulation indices from > 7 to < 2 was associated with carcinomatous transformation. These changes argue in favour of participation of HVH1 in the pathogenesis of some leukoplakias, and the development of epithelial atypia with subsequent carcinoma might be a function of the cell mediated immune responses to the virus.