Restoration of T-lymphocyte deficiency with dialysable leucocyte extract.

Abstract

A 3-year-old girl with three severe attacks of extensive skin ulceration and high fever was found to have a defective T-lymphocyte function. In each attack there was a dramatic but temporary recovery following blood transfusion. This was associated with a reversion of skin anergy and restoration of T-lymphocyte function as measured by phytohaemagglutinin (PHA) transformation and sheep red cell rosettes (SRCR). Each remission lasted 2 months. Studies over a period of 2 months after the third transfusion revealed a progressive loss of T-lymphocyte function. The patient was finally injected with a dialysable leucocyte extract. She remained in good health and a rapid normalization of her lymphocyte responses in vitro was observed after the injection. The patient has now been symptom-free for 9 months and has required three injections of leucocyte extract. Each injection has markedly improved her T-lymphocyte function.