Serial study of T lymphocytes in childhood leukemia during remission
Peripheral blood T lymphocyte numbers and function were studied in 22 children on UKALL X maintenance chemotherapy over a 2-year period, and results were compared with 20 healthy children. CD4 and CD8 subsets were enumerated using indirect immunofluorescence, and specific (HSV-1) and polyclonal (Con...
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Published in | Pediatric hematology and oncology Vol. 10; no. 2; p. 129 |
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Main Authors | , , , , |
Format | Journal Article |
Language | English |
Published |
England
1993
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Subjects | |
Online Access | Get more information |
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Summary: | Peripheral blood T lymphocyte numbers and function were studied in 22 children on UKALL X maintenance chemotherapy over a 2-year period, and results were compared with 20 healthy children. CD4 and CD8 subsets were enumerated using indirect immunofluorescence, and specific (HSV-1) and polyclonal (Con A, PWM) activation was studied by proliferation and IL-2/IL-4 production in vitro. T lymphocytes were significantly decreased with a greater fall in CD4 than CD8 T lymphocyte numbers. Proliferation responses were slightly but significantly decreased whereas IL-2 and IL-4 production were not significantly different from control values. These findings suggest that decreased numbers of CD4 helper T cells may be the most important factor in clinical immunodeficiency during maintenance chemotherapy for cALL contributing to increased susceptibility to opportunistic infections and argue against the presence of T lymphocytes with defective function. |
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ISSN: | 0888-0018 |
DOI: | 10.3109/08880019309016546 |