FREE NEJM E-TOC    HOME   |   SUBSCRIBE   |   CURRENT ISSUE   |   PAST ISSUES   |   COLLECTIONS   |   Search Term  Advanced Search

Sign in | Get NEJM's E-Mail Table of Contents — Free | Subscribe

Volume 293:887-892 October 30, 1975 Number 18 Next

	Add to Personal Archive Add to Citation Manager Notify a Friend E-mail When Cited PubMed Citation

Abstract

Since patients with myeloma have serious abnormalities of humoral immunity, we applied an in vitro assay to determine the capacity of B lymphocytes to mature into immunoglobulin-secreting cells. In peripheral blood lymphocytes from 22 normal persons, geometric mean immunoglobulin synthesis was 4910 ng for IgM, 1270 ng for IgA and 1625 ng for IgG. The synthesis rates of peripheral blood lymphocytes of 22 patients with myeloma were 458 ng for IgM, 321 ng for IgA and 218 ng for IgG. Circulating mononuclear cells from three of six patients tested suppressed polyclonal immunoglobulin synthesis by cocultured normal lymphocytes. Suppressive activity was not mediated by purified T cells alone. Removal of phagocytic mononuclear cells from lymphocyte populations of one patient nullified suppressive activity. Removal of phagocytic mononuclear cells from lymphocyte populations of a second patient led to a nearly 10-fold increase in polyclonal immunoglobulin synthesis. Therefore, host suppressor cells may play a part in the decreased capacity of B lymphocytes to secret immunoglobulin in certain patients with myeloma.

This article has been cited by other articles:

• Osserman, E. F., Merlini, G., Butler, V. P. Jr (1987). Multiple Myeloma and Related Plasma Cell Dyscrasias. JAMA 258: 2930-2937 [Abstract]  
• Mozzanica, N., Finzi, A. F., Facchetti, G., Villa, M. L. (1984). Macular Skin Lesion and Monoclonal Lymphoplasmacytoid Infiltrates: Occurrence in Primary Waldenstrom's Macroglobulinemia. Arch Dermatol 120: 778-781 [Abstract]  
• GUTTERMAN, J. U., BLUMENSCHEIN, G. R., ALEXANIAN, R., YAP, H.-Y., BUZDAR, A. U., CABANILLAS, F., HORTOBAGYI, G. N., HERSH, E. M., RASMUSSEN, S. L., HARMON, M., KRAMER, M., PESTKA, S. (1980). Leukocyte Interferon-Induced Tumor Regression in Human Metastatic Breast Cancer, Multiple Myeloma, and Malignant Lymphoma. ANN INTERN MED 93: 399-406 [Abstract]  
• Posner, M. R., Berk, S. L., Rice, P. A. (1978). Pneumococcal Bacteremia Diagnosed by Peripheral Blood Smear in Multiple Myeloma. Arch Intern Med 138: 1720-1721 [Abstract]  
• Miller, C. L. (1978). Immunological Assays as Measurements of Nutritional Status: A Review. JPEN J Parenter Enteral Nutr 2: 554-566  
• WALDMANN, T. A., BLAESE, R. M., BRODER, S., KRAKAUER, R. S. (1978). Disorders of Suppressor Immunoregulatory Cells in the Pathogenesis of Immunodeficiency and Autoimmunity. ANN INTERN MED 88: 226-238 [Abstract]  
• CROWLEY, J. P., CHURCHILL, W. H., SIMON, J., ALBALA, M. M. (1977). Absence of Lymphocyte Immunoglobulin Production in Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia and Multiple Myeloma. ANN INTERN MED 86: 750-751 [Abstract]