Immunologic indices in myelodysplastic syndromes

Abstract

Immunocompetence was evaluated in 36 untreated and noninfected patients affected with myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS). T-cell number and activity were evaluated by counts of total T-cells and T-lymphocyte subsets, and by measure of DNA synthesis in response to phytohemagglutinin and Concanavalin A. B-cells were evaluated as surface immunoglobulin- (SIg+) bearing cells and by serum immunoglobulin levels. Granulocyte activities were evaluated by responses to chemotaxis and to nitroblue tetrazolium test. Complement activity was measured by classic hemolytic complement assay. In addition, circulating immune complexes were detected in serum. MDS were associated with a significant decrease in the absolute numbers of total T (E-rosetting and T3+) cells, T4+, and T8+ cells and a dramatic decrease of the responses to Concanavalin A. An impairment of either chemotaxis or of nitroblue tetrazolium (NBT) test was frequently encountered. An increase in the levels of IgG or IgA was also a frequent feature. The findings reveal that all patients with a high degree of T-cell impairment have refractory anemia associated with an excess of medullary blast cells. All in all, the data suggest that the counts of the absolute number of cells bearing the T3 and T8 phenotypes could be of prognostic value: the higher the number, the better the patient's survival.

Co-Existent de novo Myelodysplastic Syndrome and T-cell Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma: a Common Origin or Not?

“…Conversely, the defect of the immune system found in NHL also predisposes to MDS progression. 26,27 The third hypothesis is that co-existent MDS and NHL may be associated with upregulation of certain cytokines, such as interleukin (IL)-6 and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF). 28 Shimanoto et al 28 reported one patient with anaplastic large cell lymphoma who had trilineage myelodysplasia in the bone marrow that was associated with increased levels of IL-6 and VEGF at the time of diagnosis.…”

Coincidence of primary myelodysplastic syndrome and non-Hodgkin lymphoma

“…However polyclonal hypergammaglobulinemias and monoclonal gammopathies are found not only in chronic myelomonocytic leukemia but also in all subtypes of myelodysplastic syndrome. Colombat et al [5] reported a significant decrease in absolute count of T lymphocytes and T cell dysfunction in myelodysplastic syndromes. In particular the T4 lymphocyte subset was low.…”

T-cell Non-Hodgkin lymphoma associated with myelodysplasia: A case report in a child

“…Abnormal lymphocyte count and function (especially natural killer cells) induce growth of neoplastic cells. The immune system defect underlying the development of myelodysplasia is also present in NHL (8,9).…”

“…This is suggested to be due to the defect in the immune system, an up-regulation of some cytokines, and a common molecular origin (5)(6)(7)(8)(9)(10).…”