[Immunologic studies in myelodysplastic syndrome]

Myelodysplastic syndrome is a clonal stem-cell disease, which predominantly involves myeloid cell lines. However, several observations refer to a possible pathological condition of the lymphoid system as well. Because of these controversial data, we investigated 25 patients with MDS at our clinic. Absolute lymphocyte counts, lymphocyte subpopulations (using methods of mAT, OKT 3, 4, 8, Leu7), T and B rosette tests and quantitative tests of immunoglobulins were made possibly during diagnosis or breaks in treatment. A significant ratio of our patients had lymphopenie. Using both rosette tests or mAT methods, the ratio of T-cells (primarily of T4-cells) reduced, and the decrease of NK-cells characterized with Leu7 mAT was also marked. Polyclonal hypergammaglobulinaemia could frequently and significantly be observed during immunoglobulin identification. All the observed abnormalities were rather marked in the group of patients with excess of blasts.