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Immunologic profile of patients with cured Hodgkin's disease
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Patients with Hodgkin
Area of Science:
- Immunology
- Oncology
Background:
- Hodgkin's disease (HD) is a malignancy affecting lymphocytes.
- Long-term remission patients require assessment of immune function.
- T-lymphocyte function is crucial for immune response.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate T-lymphocyte function in long-term remission Hodgkin's disease patients.
- To compare immune status with seminoma patients and healthy controls.
- To investigate potential causes of immunoincompetence in HD survivors.
Main Methods:
- Studied blood lymphocytes from 9 HD patients, 6 seminoma patients, and 9 controls.
- Assessed T-lymphocyte counts and DNA synthesis.
- Evaluated lymphocyte activation by mitogens (PWM, PHA, ConA) and PPD.
- Performed mixed lymphocyte cultures (MLC).
Main Results:
- Mean T-lymphocyte count was lower in HD patients compared to controls and seminoma patients.
- Pokeweed mitogen and phytohaemagglutinin responses were normal.
- Concanavalin A response was reduced in 4 HD patients.
- Mixed lymphocyte culture capacity was decreased in some HD patients.
- Four HD patients showed severe T-lymphocyte function impairment, independent of radiotherapy.
Conclusions:
- Hodgkin's disease survivors may exhibit persistent T-lymphocyte dysfunction.
- Impaired immune function in some HD patients suggests a potential constitutional defect.
- Late effects of radiotherapy may not fully explain the observed immunoincompetence.
Abstract:
Blood lymphocytes from 9 patients with Hodgkin's disease (HD) were studied. The results were compared with those of 6 seminoma testis patients and 9 healthy unrelated controls. All patients were in complete and unmaintained remission more than 10 years after termination of radiotherapy. The mean T-lymphocyte count of HD patients was lower than that of controls and seminoma testis patients. Lymphocyte DNA synthesis induced by pokeweed mitogen and phytohaemagglutinin was normal in both patient groups. Concanavalin A-induced DNA synthesis was low in 4 patients with HD although the mean stimulation of the group did not differ from controls or seminoma testis patients. Lymphocyte activation by PPD was slightly decreased in the 2 patient groups. No increase in spontaneous lymphocyte DNA synthesis was observed. The responding and stimulatory capacity in mixed lymphocyte culture was decreased in 3 and 2 HD patients respectively. 4 out of the 9 patients with HD but none with seminoma testis displayed severe impairment in T-lymphocyte functions. As 1 of the 4 had been treated solely by surgery, late effects of irradiation can only partly explain the results. The results may favour a hypothesis postulating a constitutional defect contributing to the immunoincompetence in HD.