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Alteration of T cell function in healthy persons with a history of thymic x irradiation

Journal Article · · J. Allergy Clin. Immunol.; (United States)
The possible late effects of x irradiation to the infantile thymus were investigated by studying immune functions in 12 healthy persons with a history of thymic x irradiation and healthy control subjects. No differences were found in serum immunoglobulin values, humoral antibody levels, lymphocyte counts, and lymphocyte reactivity to phytohemagglutinin, vaccinia virus, purified protein derivative (PPD), and allogeneic cells. The irradiation group exhibited cellular hyperresponsiveness to streptokinase-streptodornase (SK-SD). In contrast, mean skin and in vitro lymphocyte responses to Candida albicans were depressed in the patients with thymic irradiation. A dissociation of these two Candida responses was found in only 1 of 14 healthy control subjects but in 7 of 12 irradiated individuals. While thymic irradiation did not result in impaired immunologic defenses leading to clinical disease, it caused alterations in T cell responses similar to those reported in patients with chronic mucocutaneous candidiasis.
Research Organization:
Univ. of Chicago
OSTI ID:
7275990
Journal Information:
J. Allergy Clin. Immunol.; (United States), Journal Name: J. Allergy Clin. Immunol.; (United States) Vol. 56:4; ISSN JACIB
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English