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Immunological Family Studies in Hodgkin's Disease
Author(s) -
Björkholm M.,
Holm G.,
Mellstedt H.
Publication year - 1978
Publication title -
scandinavian journal of haematology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.904
H-Index - 84
eISSN - 1600-0609
pISSN - 0036-553X
DOI - 10.1111/j.1600-0609.1978.tb02461.x
Subject(s) - concanavalin a , pokeweed mitogen , lymphocyte , immunology , pathogenesis , immunodeficiency , disease , stimulation , medicine , biology , in vitro , endocrinology , genetics , immune system
27 consanguineous and non‐consanguineous relatives to 12 patients with Hodgkin's disease (HD) have been studied. The lymphocyte DNA synthesis induced by concanavalin (ConA) was depressed in 6 patients. 7 out of 15 tested relatives (3 first degree relatives and 4 spouses) showed a profound impairment in lymphocyte response to ConA stimulation. None out of 12 relatives to ConA normal patients was defect in this respect. In relatives to ConA hyporesponsive patients there was a small but statistically significant decrease in lymphocyte response to pokeweed mitogen (PWM) and PPD in vitro. No differences in lymphocyte subpopulations were seen. The findings strongly support an exogenous factor (probably a virus) causing the depressed mitogen response in relatives to immunodeficient patients with HD. A possible linkage between the immunodeficiency and the pathogenesis of HD is discussed.