Premium
Immunomodulation and Sézary syndrome: experience with thymopentin (TP‐5)
Author(s) -
BERNENGO MARIA GRAZIA,
DOVEIL G. C.,
MEREGALLI M.,
APPINO ANTONELLA,
MASSOBRIO ROBERTA
Publication year - 1988
Publication title -
british journal of dermatology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.304
H-Index - 179
eISSN - 1365-2133
pISSN - 0007-0963
DOI - 10.1111/j.1365-2133.1988.tb03203.x
Subject(s) - medicine , dermis , thymopentin , lymphokine , erythroderma , peripheral blood mononuclear cell , cytotoxic t cell , immunology , t cell , antigen , immune system , pathology , biology , in vitro , biochemistry
SUMMARY The clinical, histological and immunological effects of long‐term treatment with thymopentin (TP ‐5 ), administered 50 mg i.v. three times a week on alternate days, in four patients with Sezary syndrome is reported. In all four cases reduction of itching, oedema, scaling and thickening, and clearing of erythroderma were noted after 2 months treatment. Peripheral blood Sezary cells decreased in three cases. Reduction or suspension of the drug was followed by a clinical relapse. A loss of epidermotropism and a reduction in cell infiltrates were observed together with a dramatic reduction in epidermal and dermal Langerhans cells. An increase in the proliferative response to mitogens and in IFN‐y production, and the expression of activation antigens in PHA stimulated cultures occurred after 3 months. HNK‐ 1 + cells increased both in the peripheral blood and in the dermis following a transient increase in IL‐2 receptors, suggesting that clinical response in TP‐5 treated patients may be mediated by an incrased production of IL‐2 and consequent generation of cytotoxic cells or release of lymphokines able to augment NK activity.