A STUDY OF LYMPHOCYTIC BLASTOGENESIS WITH PHA AND PURINE NUCLEOSIDE PHOSPHORYLASE (PNP) ACTIVITY OF LYMPHOCYTES IN BREAST CANCER PATIONTS

Abstract

Lymphocytic blastogenesis with PHA is widely known as a nonspecific cell-mediated immuno-parameter. Since a defect in purine nucleoside phosphorylase (PNP) has been described in the case of cell-mediated immunodeficiency disease, PNP activity is also useful as an immuno-parameter. We measured these two parameters and examined the immunoactivity of lymphocytes of peripheral blood and regional lymph nodes in patients with breast cancer. Between June 1982 and December 1985, 74 patients with breast cancer were studied. We also examined T-cell subsets (OKT 4, OKT 8) in regional lymph nodes. The following results were obtained.(1) The blastogenesis with PHA of peripheral blood lymphocytes showed higher levels in the earlier stage than in the advanced stage, and PNP activity was inversely correlated with blastogenesis with PHA.(2) The regional lymph node lymphocytes showed a higher level of blastogenesis induced by PHA in the group without lymph node involvement (n (-)) than in the group with nodal involvement (n (+)). On the other hand, the n (-) group showed lower PNP activity than the n (+) group.(3) In the n (+) group, the increased PNP activity and the decreased blastogenesis with PHA of the juxtaregional lymph nodes were highly correlated with increasing lymph node metastases compared with those of the regional lymph nodes. The juxtaregional lymph nodes were considered to represent the so-called “sentinel nodes” in immunopotency in the axilla.(4) The percentage of OKT 8 in lymphocytes of the axillary lymph nodes in the n (+) group was higher than in the n (-) group.