Peripheral blood lymphocyte response to recombinant and non‐recombinant interleukin 2 in previously treated patients with Hodgkin's disease, long‐time off‐therapy

Publisher Website
Google Scholar
Abstract
13 patients with Hodgkin's disease (HD) previously treated, 9 of whom were long‐time (more than 2 yr) off‐therapy, were studied for peripheral blood lymphocyte response to interleukin 2 and for lymphocyte subpopulations by means of in vitro cultures and monoclonal antibodies. The aim of the study was to ascertain the role played by interleukin 2 in the impaired cell‐mediated immunity of HD patients. The results show a response of peripheral blood mononuclear cells of HD patients to either the T cell‐specific polyclonal mitogens PHA and Con A or to the T cell‐dependent, although B cell‐specific, PWM, most significantly decreased compared to the normal response. As far as the interleukin 2 involvement in HD is concerned, our study suggests: 1) an impaired endogenous interleukin 2 production by T lymphocytes, 2) a most probable deficiency of the interleukin 2 receptor (Tac) expression and 3) a decrease of the number and/or of the function of NK cells no longer responsive in vitro to interleukin 2. The phenotypic analysis of peripheral blood mononuclear cells showed a slight decrease of total T cells (T3 +), of the helper/inducer subset (T4 +) and of the T4 + /T8 + cells ratio. Our data seem to support the rationale for a therapeutical approach with interleukin 2 in controlled clinical trials also in HD patients, according to the experiments in progress in solid tumor patients.

This publication has 28 references indexed in Scilit: