Abstract
Utilizing an 0.1 cc whole blood in vitro microlymphocyte tranformation technique (MLT) previously described (Mumford, Fed. Proc. 29: 369, 1970), human peripheral blood white cells from acute lymphocytic leukemic (ALL) patients have been tested for immune responsiveness (triplicate runs) in 30 children during various stages and treatement of their disease. A mitogen (PHA) and selected common specific antigens were employed. concurrent MLT runs (duplicate) on bone marrow aspirates taken at the same time were performed. While some MLT kinetics differ slightly from “macro” lymphocyte transformation studies (esp. optimum day of harvest), sensitivity approximates the “macro” test. Responses were considered positive when the ratio of positive stimulted cultures were greater than twice the control values. Peripheral blood responses were generally consistent with previous ““macro” lymphocyte reports for similar leukemic patients. However, 12 of 30 patients marrows were nonresponsive to PHA on at least one occasion, and only 6 leukemic marrows were positive to the antigen battery—each only to a single antigen. some immune and clinical correlates of these studies will be discussed.
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Mumford, D., Wilbur, J., Cheema, R. et al. Microlymphocyte transformation (MLT) determinations of peripheral blood and marrow aspirates from children with acute lymphocytic leukemia. Pediatr Res 5, 407–408 (1971). https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-197108000-00152
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-197108000-00152