[T-cell lymphoma (author's transl)]. / T-Zell-Lymphome

The percentage of T- and B-lymphocytes was determined by means of surface markers in 190 patients suffering from various lymphoproliferative disease. Characteristic T-cell lymphomas were diagnosed in 8 patients: 2 of these patients suffered from acute leukaemia, 2 from lymphoblastic lymphoma, 3 from mycosis fungoides and one from the Sézary syndrome. The clinical course of the disease in these patients, the clinical picture and the results obtained with various surface markers and with unspecific mitogens are described and discussed.

Antibodies for T lymphocytes in systemic lupus erythematosus.

Sera of twenty-four patients with systemic lupus erythematosus were evaluated for antibodies cytotoxic for autologous lymphocytes. Such antibodies were domenstrable in twenty-two of these sera, whereas only one out of twenty patients with other connective tissue or lymphoproliferative disease showed a positive test. The antibodies remained detectable even when the patients went into remission. Sera containing the lymphocytotoxic antibodies were tested on cell fractions enriched for T or B lymphocytes. Primarily T lumphocytes wree affected by these antibodies. The presence of antibodies cytotoxic for T lymphocytes corresponded with a deficit of circulating T lymphocytes observed in most of our patients with systemic lupus erythematosys.

Disturbance of cell-mediated immunity in patients with carcinoma of colon and rectum.

The cellular immune mechanisms of patients with adenocarcinoma of colon or rectum were evaluated by studying the lymphocyte response to PHA stimulation. Our results indicate that the serum of cancer patients causes a decreased blastic transformation and H(3) thymidine uptake of the lymphocytes of patients as well as of normal controls. A defect of the lymphocytes unrelated to serum factors was also present in some cancer patients. However, no relationship was found between the degree of transformation and the presence of metastases in the lymph nodes.

Complement levles in relation to certain antibodies in polytransfused thalassaemic patients.

Polytransfused patients are exposed to a variety of antigenic stimuli which may eventually trigger autoimmune reactions. The relation of serum complement to the occurrence of various antibodies has been investigated in a group of 75 polytransfused thalassaemic patients. The incidence of the antibodies studied was as follows: anti-HBs 77%, anti-Gm 64%, rheumatoid factor 31%, antinuclear 13%, anti-smooth muscle 47%. Anti-perietal cell, anti-thyroid and anti-kidney were only rarely found and antimitochondrial antibodies were never detected. Total hemolytic complement was low in 6 and incidentally decreased in 21 patients. A positive correlation was found between low serum complement and presence of rheumatoid factor. The high incidence of anti-smooth muscle antibodies seems to be unrelated to liver disease.

[Rosette tests in lymphoproliferative diseases]. / Rosettentests bei lymphoproliferativen Erkrankungen

The percentage and absolute count of B- and T-lymphocytes in the peripheral blood of 170 patients with various lymphoproliferative diseases was determined. T-lymphocytes were assessed by their capacity to form rosettes with unsensitized neuraminidase treated sheep red blood cells, and B-lymphocytes by their capacity to bind immune-complement complexes. The results in CLL, in non-Hodgkin lymphoma and in Hodgkin's disease are discussed with respect to the immunopathology of these diseases.

Serum beta 2 microglobulin in malignant lymphoproliferative disorders.

Serum beta-2-microglobulin (S-beta 2M) was measured at diagnosis in 44 patients with lymphocytic leukemias and 47 with malignant lymphomas. Among patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) S-beta 2M was raised (greater than 3 mg/l) in 74% and in 23.5% of those with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). The frequencies for non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL) and Hodgkin's disease (HD) were 59.2% and 40%, respectively. In CLL patients high serum values correlated with large tumor mass, as estimated by Rai's clinical criteria (P less than 0.001), by total peripheral lymphocytes (r = 0.41, P less than 0.05) and by the percentage of bone marrow infiltration of the lymphocytes (P less than 0.01). A significant relation was also found in CLL patients between S-beta 2M level and survival (P less than 0.05). In ALL no association was found between S-beta 2M level with peripheral lymphoblast concentration, French-American-British (FAB) subclassification, splenomegaly, and survival. In NHL patients a significant association was found between S-beta 2M levels and stage of disease (P less than 0.01) and an obscure relation (P less than 0.1) with the presence of lymph nodes greater than 3 cm in diameter, splenomegaly, and hepatomegaly. No significant association was found between S-beta 2M level and histologic subtypes, presence of B symptoms, bone marrow involvement, and survival. In HD patients a significant association was found between the level of S-beta 2M and stage of disease (P less than 0.05) and presence of splenomegaly (P less than 0.05). No association was found between S-beta 2M level and histologic subtypes, lymph nodes greater than 3 cm in diameter, bone marrow involvement, and B symptoms. A significant relation was found between S-beta 2M level and survival in HD patients with widespread disease (P less than .025).

[The differentiation of human peripheral blood lymphocytes by immunological methods. III. Results in acute lymphoblastic leukemia (author's transl)]. / Die Differenzierung menschlicher Blutlymphozyten mit immunologischen Methoden. III. Ergebnisse bei unreifzelligen lymphatischen Leukämien.

In 47 patients with acute lymphoblastic leukemia surface markers were evaluated on mononuclear cells of the peripheral blood as well as in some cases on bone marrow lymphocytes. The lymphocytes were characterized by their binding capacity for sheep red blood cells, the demonstration of Fc-receptors, complement receptors as well as surface immunoglobulins. In 6 of 23 untreated patients the blasts bound sheep red blood cells spontaneously (T-ALL), in two of these six cases the lymphoblasts had simultaneously receptors for complement. In a further patients the lymphoblasts had complement- and Fc-receptors. The blasts of 16 of 23 patients were negative in respect to the markers tested (O-ALL). By comparing two groups of patients--one with positive cells, one unreactive--the clinical features differed: the marker positive group showed a predominance of male patients, 5 of 7 patients had a massive mediastinal mass and the remission rate was lower than in the group with positive blasts. 24 patients in remission under maintance treatment had a decreased percentage of rosette forming lymphocytes as well as lymphocytes with surface immunoglobulins and Fc-receptors. There existed some correlation between the percentage of rosette forming lymphocytes and the clinical course: patients with complications had lower percentages of rosette forming lymphocytes than patients with a favourable course.