Abstract
Fifteen patients with acute lymphoblastic leukemia in long term remission were studied. Nine patients were in remission for 6 months to 4 years following 5 years of chemotherapy and 6 patients were 3 years into remission and receiving maintenance chemotherapy. T cells were enumerated by the E-sheep-red-cell rosette method, subpopulations of T cells (Tγ and Tμ) by ox-red cell IgM and IgG rosette formation, B cells by membrane immunoglobulin fluorescence. Mitogen stimulated cultures used phytohemagglutinin, concanavalin A and pokeweed mitogen. Immunoglobulin synthesis was estimated by a radioimmunoassay of the supernatant of pokeweed mitogen stimulated cultures. The total leukocyte count was significantly decreased (p<0.01), the absolute lymphocyte count was comparable (p>0.1). T cells were significantly decreased (p<0.005). Subpopulations of T cells, Tγ and Tμ cells showed significantly lowered numbers, more so in the patients who were receiving chemotherapy, (p<0.05). Mitogen stimulated cultures in 3 patients showed normal to increased H3 thymidine incorporation in fetal calf serum, allogenic serum and autologous serum. Preliminary studies detected low immunoglobulin levels in pokeweed mitogen stimulated supernates of 2 patients tested.
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