Autologous Mixed Lymphocyte Reaction in Patients with Hodgkin's Disease: EVIDENCE FOR A T CELL DEFECT

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Abstract

The proliferative response of T lymphocytes cultured with autologous non-T lymphocytes is known as the autologous mixed lymphocyte reaction (MLR). This reaction can be demonstrated reproducibly in healthy individuals and has been shown to generate specific cytotoxic T cells, as well as T cells that regulate antibody synthesis and cell-mediated immunity. In this study, we demonstrate that the autologous MLR is impaired or absent in most patients with Hodgkin's disease regardless of age, sex, pathologic stage, or histologic classification. In 64 patients, the mean autologous MLR was 3,084±1,878 cpm compared to 16,552±6,532 in 29 healthy donors. A defect in autologous MLR was observed in newly diagnosed patients before the initiation of therapy, but was also found in patients without evidence of recurrent disease up to 15 yr after treatment.

Authors

Edgar G. Engleman, Claudia J. Benike, Richard T. Hoppe, Henry S. Kaplan, F. Ralph Berberich