Effect of Treatment on T‐Cell Function in Chronic Lymphocytic Leukaemia

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Abstract
T‐cell functions were studied in vitro on enriched T‐lymphocyte populations obtained from three groups of patients with chronic lymphocytic leukaemia (CLL): (a) untreated, (b) treated with chlorambucil, and (c) treated with chlorambucil and prednisone. The results were compared to age‐matched controls and patients without CLL on comparable doses of prednisone. T cells obtained from untreated and chlorambucil‐treated patients showed significantly decreased responses to phytohaemagglutinin (PHA) at short‐term cultures (4 d) and in the mixed lymphocyte response (MLR). The lymphocyte responses to PHA, after 8 d in culture, were not significantly decreased. T cells obtained from CLL patients treated with chlorambucil and prednisone showed markedly reduced responses to MLR and to PHA at both time intervals. These responses were significantly less than those of cells obtained in the same manner from untreated or chlorambucil‐treated patients with CLL or from patients with bronchial asthma treated with equivalent doses of prednisone. These results suggest that T cells from patients with CLL are particularly susceptible to inhibitory effects of corticosteroids. An increased susceptibility to infection has been reported in patients with CLL treated with chlorambucil and prednisone. The marked suppression of lymphocyte responses to PHA and in MLR demonstrated in this group of patients may play a role in increasing susceptibility to infections.