Elevated Lymphocyte Counts Research Articles

Decreased natural killer activity in thalassemia major: a possible consequence of iron overload.

We have investigated the natural killer (NK) activity of both fractionated (Percoll density gradient) and unfractionated mononuclear cells from patients with beta-thalassemia major who are iron overloaded as a consequence of chronic transfusion therapy. These patients were found to have significantly decreased NK activity against K562 targets at all effector:target ratios tested (p less than 0.001). Both splenectomized and nonsplenectomized patients had normal proportions of Leu-11b-staining (NK) cells. Since they had normal to elevated absolute white cell and lymphocyte counts, a change in the absolute number of NK cells could not account for the decreased killing. We also found that the decrease in NK activity was transfusion related (r = -0.603, p less than 0.005). To determine whether or not this decrease in NK activity could be related to iron overload, we preincubated patient effector cells with desferrioxamine (DFO) or 2,3-dihydroxybenzoic acid (DHB) for 6 hr before addition of K562 targets. Both of these iron-chelating agents consistently increased the NK activity of cells from thalassemia patients. DHB had the greater effect, being able to increase patient NK activity to virtually normal levels. On the other hand, preincubation of cells from normal controls with DHB caused only a slight increase in NK activity, while similar treatment with DFO had little or no effect. When target cells were preincubated with the chelating agents before addition of either normal or patient effector cells, no change in cytotoxicity was seen, demonstrating that the chelating agents act at the effector cell level. Furthermore, if the chelating agents were saturated with iron prior to preincubation with the effectors, no increase in the cytotoxicity of thalassemic NK cells was observed. These results indicate that thalassemia patients have a reversible, transfusion-related decrease in NK function which may arise as a consequence of iron overload.

Concentrations of serum protease inhibitors and immunoglobulins in juvenile periodontitis.

Serum alpha‐2‐macroglobulin (α2 M), IgA, IgG, and IgM concentrations in relation to the total protein as well as total and differential white blood cell counts were determined in 25 Caucasian patients, 18 females and 7 males, with juvenile periodontitis (JP). Fifteen patients, aged 15–24 years, formed the JP group and ten patients, aged 25–30 years, the post‐JP group. The α2M values were normal: means 2.91 ± 0.85 g/l in the JP group and 2.62 ± 0.56 g/l in the post‐JP group. Eight of the eleven patients in JP group and three out of ten patients in the post‐JP group showed elevated percentage lymphocyte counts, but the absolute numbers of cells were within normal range. The mean level of IgA was 2.66 ± 1.39 g/l in the JP group and 1.96 ± 1.22 g/l in the post‐JP group. The mean level of IgG was 13.08 ± 2.62 g/l in the JP group and 13.32 ± 4.88 g/l in the post‐JP group. The mean IgM was 1.86 ± 0.82 g/l in the JP and 2.30 ± 0.66 g/l in the post‐JP group. There were no statistically significant differences in the serum protein mean values between the JP and post‐JP groups. The differences between the JP or post‐JP group immunoglobulin means compared to normal means were not statistically significant.

CHRONIC LYMPHOCYTIC LEUKÆMIA *

Chronic lymphocytic leukaemia is a disease characterized by lymphocytic infiltration of the bone marrow and an elevated lymphocyte count in the peripheral blood. Some studies suggest that it is a disease of the B lymphocytes, others that it also affects the T lymphocytes. The onset of the disease is usually insidious and the survival time ranges from a few months to 20 years. Infection and anaemia are common causes of death. Chemotherapy with alkylating agents and corticosteroids is the most widely applied method of treatment. Treatment improves the quality of life in most cases, but its influence on the median survival time is less certain.

Studies on horizontal transmission of bovine leukosis.

A group of five newborn calves and a second group of seven calves of different breeds with a minimum age of six weeks, were placed in contact with animals with clinical cases of bovine leukosis for a period of five years. Among the newborn calves, one — a “Fleckvieh”1 — developed tumorous leukosis in which many lymph nodes, the heart and the pylorus were affected. Two others in this group-also “Fleckvieh”-have moderately elevated lymphocyte counts, one of them developed enlarged prescapular lymph nodes. Those cattle brought in contact with diseased animals at a minimum age of six weeks remained-4 of them were Holsteins-normal throughout the course of the experiment. It is suggested that 1) neonatal cattle are more susceptible than those that are six week of age or older and 2) that the “Fleckvieh”-breed may be just as susceptible to leukosis as the Holstein one. It does not seem to have an inherited resistance against leukosis.

Serological studies with EB virus in infectious lymphocytosis.

RECENT epidemiological studies reveal a highly significant correlation between infectious mononucleosis and the development of serum antibodies to EB virus (EBV)1,2. It has been suggested that these findings indicate that EBV is probably the causative agent in infectious mononucleosis. An alternative hypothesis is that EBV may merely be a poorly immunogenic, non-aetiological “passenger” virus that is activated non-specifically during the proliferation of lymphoreticular cells in infectious mononucleosis with subsequent appearance of detectable EBV antibodies3–8. The second hypothesis may be tested in part by studying EBV antibody responses that occur in infectious lymphocytosis, a mild communicable paediatric illness of unknown aetiology in which elevated absolute and relative lymphocyte counts develop, usually without specific signs or symptoms9.

Studies in Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia: Further Studies of the Proliferative Abnormality of the Blood Lymphocyte

Abstract Peripheral lymphocytes from patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia were exposed to phytohemagglutinin in culture. Quantitative assessment of the proliferative response provided an in vitro test of lymphocyte function. The results were correlated with several clinical parameters, both hematologic and immune. Lymphocytes from patients with modestly elevated lymphocyte counts and mild disease manifested slightly delayed and depressed reactions to PHA. All immunoglobulin levels in these patients were also moderately reduced. Further delay and depression of the PHA response showed a rough correlation with progressive lymphocytosis and reduction in circulating immunoglobulins. Kinetic and autoradiographic analyses have suggested that late-reacting lymphocytes formed distinct populations of abnormal cells which did not seem to be appreciably contaminated with normal lymphocytes, even in instances of mild disease. Only in a patient with splenic lymphosarcoma were multiple circulating populations of normal and late reacting lymphocytes detected simultaneously. In that case, at least some of the late-reacting lymphocytes appeared to originate in parenchymal lymphoid masses. A definition of CLL could well include, not only the findings in the blood and bone marrow, but a statement of the reaction of the lymphocytes to phytohemagglutinin and of the immunoglobulin characteristics.

Prognostic value of blood picture in the treatment of uterine cancer by radiant energy. Holl (Arch. f. G., Bd. 127, H. 2/3)

The author found that a favorable clinical course is given by cases where there is a relative and small absolute increase in lymphocyte counts after primary illumination, as well as cases with relatively elevated lymphocyte counts before illumination.