Abstract
Using a plaque forming cell (PFC) assay system the effects of clinically and laboratory diagnosed viral illness were determined on the ability of human peripheral blood lymphocytes to be stimulated with the mitogens phytohemagglutinin (PHA), pokeweed (PWM), staphylococcal protein A (SpA), lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and the antigens candida (C) and tetanus-diphtheria toxoids (Td). In contrast with control subjects who had a geometric mean 7 PFC's/106 cells, children with viral infections had a mean of 1188 PFC/106 cells for unstimulated cultures. PWM was found to be the most effective PFC stimulant in control subjects (geometic mean 1995 PFC/106 cells); however concurrent viral infection resulted in a reduced number (geometric mean 267 PFC/106 cells) of PWM induced PFC's when compared with background. Control subjects produced no PFC's in response to PHA, Con A, LPS, Td, SpA or C; however, children with rubella and disseminated herpes infection had PFC's with these mitogens, although again the absolute numbers were less than the unstimulated control cultures. These results suggest that viral infection produces dramatic shifts of peripheral blood lymphocyte subpopulation composition and function, reducing the effect of the mitogens on cellular differentation. Alternatively, direct virus-B cell interaction may result in differentiation to immunoglobulin producing cells without a mitogen-T-B cell interaction.
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