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Biomedical subjects

D L Longo

Publications and source records attributed to D L Longo.

At least 415 records · Page 23Linked to original sources

Response to 2'-deoxycoformycin after failure of interferon-alpha in nonsplenectomized patients with hairy cell leukemia.

Two patients with hairy cell leukemia with massive splenomegaly and severe pancytopenia were treated with recombinant alpha-A interferon (IFN-alpha-2a). There was no significant response to a trial of IFN-alpha-2a (11 and 20 weeks) with respect to blood counts or spleen size. Subsequent treatment with 2'-deoxycoformycin (dCF) for 8 consecutive weeks (4 mg/m2/wk) resulted in normalization of spleen size and a normalization of peripheral blood counts and bone marrow in one patient. The second patient demonstrated a reduction in spleen size and improved blood counts following 9 weeks of dCF therapy but eventually became refractory. This demonstrates that dCF is non-cross-resistant with interferon and confirms the efficacy of dCF in nonsplenectomized patients.

Adult↗

Alpha-interferon in the treatment of nodular lymphomas.

Patients with nodular lymphoma initially respond to a number of therapies but relapse is common and inexorable with time, and despite further therapy, most patients will ultimately die of their lymphoma. The recent demonstration of their sensitivity to alpha-interferon is promising. The importance of this human antitumor effect is that it is presumably based on mechanisms different from conventional agents. Phase I trials of various doses and schedules of recombinant alpha-interferon have shown that effective serum levels can be obtained by intramuscular (IM), intravenous (IV), or subcutaneous (SC) routes. Virtually all patients experienced some degree of acute toxicity manifested by fever, chills, myalgia, and headache. Tolerance usually developed to acute adverse effects within the first few weeks of therapy, regardless of dose or schedule. Fatigue and anorexia were the most important adverse reactions, occurring during the first two weeks of treatment and generally persisting for the duration of therapy. Occasional adverse effects relating to the central nervous and cardiovascular systems have been reported. Primary laboratory abnormalities observed during treatment include decreases in hematologic parameters and elevations of liver function tests. The clinical efficacy of alpha-interferon, both natural and recombinant, has been demonstrated in both untreated and heavily pretreated patients with nodular lymphoma. The response rate has approached 50% in recent studies; however, less than half were complete responders. Future directions include combination of interferon with cytotoxic agents or other biological response modifiers and use as adjuvant therapy.

Anorexia↗

Multiple recurrences of acute tumor lysis syndrome in an indolent non-Hodgkin's lymphoma.

Acute tumor lysis syndrome (ATLS) is an entity consisting of combinations of hyperuricemia, lactic acidosis, hyperkalemia, hyperphosphatemia, and hypocalcemia and occurring generally in aggressive, rapidly proliferating lymphoproliferative disorders with high tumor burdens. A patient is described with a diffuse intermediately differentiated lymphocytic lymphoma, considered by most an indolent B-cell non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, in whom developed multiple recurrences of ATLS after treatment when tumor regrowth occurred between cycles of therapy. The mitotic rate of this lymphoma was relatively high (30-80 mitoses/ten high-power fields). Lymph proliferative disorders with a high mitotic rate, and large tumor burden, regardless of histologic features, should be treated prophylactically against tumor lysis if regrowth between cycles occurs.

Acute Disease↗

Human T cell leukemia/lymphoma virus I infection and subsequent cloning of normal human B cells. Direct responsiveness of cloned cells to recombinant interleukin 2 by differentiation in the absence of enhanced proliferation.

A human T cell leukemia/lymphoma virus (HTLV)-I-infected B cell clone expressed Tac antigen on its cell surface and responded to recombinant interleukin 2 (IL-2) by increased production of IgM without any increase in proliferation. Anti-Tac antibody completely inhibited the IL-2-induced differentiation of this HTLV-I-infected B cell clone. This study demonstrates that HTLV-I can directly infect normal mature human B cells, and that the Tac antigen, which may be induced by infection with HTLV-I, is the functional receptor for IL-2-induced B cell differentiation. The availability of such cell lines and clones should provide useful tools to delineate precisely the differentiation step in the human B cell cycle.

Antigens, Surface↗

Spontaneous alteration of idiotype in a monoclonal B-cell lymphoma. Escape from detection by anti-idiotype.

The surface immunoglobulin of B-cell neoplasms provides a specific point of attack for potential antibody therapy. The capacity of anti-idiotype antibody to home to the target neoplasm requires that the idiotype be unique and that it be expressed by every cell in the neoplastic clone. We describe the evolution of an altered idiotype in a follicular lymphoma that resulted in escape from laboratory detection by monoclonal anti-idiotype antibody. This was not due to the emergence of a second (biclonal) lymphoma, since all the neoplastic cells were otherwise identical both phenotypically and genotypically, as determined by flow cytometry and genomic DNA (Southern blot) hybridization, respectively. All cells expressed the same B-cell immunotype and bore a constant amount of IgMk. The demonstration of a single configuration of immunoglobulin-gene DNA confirmed monoclonality and established that the change in idiotype was not a result of new gene rearrangements but was more likely due to somatic mutation of the variable region--a process presumed to occur naturally in B cells. These data demonstrate the lability of idiotype expression and define a mechanism by which B-cell neoplasms may become unresponsive to anti-idiotype therapy.

Adult↗

Absence of the Lyt-2-,L3T4+ lineage of T cells in mice treated neonatally with anti-I-A correlates with absence of intrathymic I-A-bearing antigen-presenting cell function.

In an effort to elucidate the role of intrathymic Ia-bearing antigen-presenting cells (APC) on the development of the class II-restricted T cell repertoire, we examined the effect of neonatal anti-I-A treatment on both intrathymic and splenic APC function; on the generation of Lyt-2-,L3T4+, Lyt-2+,L3T4-, and Lyt-2+,L3T4+ T cells; and on the development of class I- and class II-specific T cell functions. Both the thymus and the spleen are completely devoid of Lyt-2-,L3T4+ T cells in young mice treated from birth with anti-I-A, and also lack functions associated with this subset, i.e., alloantigen-specific interleukin 2 production (present report), allo-class II-specific and self-class II-restricted T cell proliferative responses, and helper cell function for the generation of cytotoxic T lymphocyte responses (18). Development of the Lyt-2+,L3T4- subset proceeds undisturbed in these mice, in accord with the previously reported normal levels of cytotoxic T lymphocyte precursors (18). The thymus contains normal numbers of the immature cortical Lyt-2+,L3T4+ cells, indicating that acquisition of the L3T4 marker, in and of itself, is not influenced by anti-I-A treatment. This striking absence of the lineage of T cells responsible for class II-specific T cell functions is correlated with absence of thymic APC function for class II-restricted T cell clones. When anti-I-A-treated mice are allowed to recover from the antibody treatment, splenic and thymic APC function return to normal in 2-3 wk, and thymic Lyt-2-,L3T4+ T cell numbers and functions reappear before such cells are detectable in the spleen. Collectively, these findings suggest that development of the Lyt-2-,L3T4+ lineage of class II-specific T cells is entirely dependent on functional I-A-bearing APC cells in the thymus. In addition, the presence of normal levels of Lyt-2+,L3T4-T cells argues that generation of the two major subsets of T cells (i.e., Lyt-2+,L3T4- and Lyt-2-,L3T4+) occurs through separate events, involving unique sites of interactions between precursor T cells and nonlymphoid major histocompatibility complex-bearing thymus cells.

Animals↗

Interleukin 2 receptors on human B cells. Implications for the role of interleukin 2 in human B cell function.

In the present study, we examined the expression of interleukin 2 (IL-2) receptors on normal human B cells as well as established B cell lines. Anti-Tac monoclonal antibody did not bind to freshly separated normal human B cells. Unexpectedly, with the appropriate activation of the normal B cells by anti-mu antibody, phorbol myristate acetate, or Staphylococcus aureus Cowan I (SAC), Tac antigen was induced on the activated B cells. Anti-Tac antibody showed consistent reactivity with two B cell lines that were infected by human T cell leukemia virus (HTLV) and some reactivity with two out of eight Epstein-Barr virus-transformed B cell lines established from normal adult donors. Immunoprecipitation analysis revealed that antigens of similar size with a molecular weight of 50,000-60,000 can be precipitated with anti-Tac antibody from phytohemagglutinin-stimulated normal T cell blasts and normal activated B cells, as well as a cloned B cell line. Binding assays of IL-2 on normal activated B cells and on the cloned B cell (HS1) revealed that B cells have significantly fewer sites and lower-affinity IL-2 receptors compared with phytohemagglutinin-stimulated normal T cell blasts. Finally, biological properties of the IL-2 receptor on B cells were examined by incubating B cells with recombinant IL-2. It was found that moderate concentrations of IL-2 induce significant enhancement of proliferation and differentiation in SAC-activated normal B cells. These results suggest that normal B cells may express functional IL-2 receptors or closely related proteins and thus IL-2 may play a significant role in the modulation of B cell function.

Adolescent↗

Abnormal coagulation results in patients with Hodgkin's disease.

Case records of 177 patients admitted with Hodgkin's disease were reviewed to assess the frequency and significance of coagulation abnormalities. Prolongation of the prothrombin time, activated partial thromboplastin time, or thrombin time occurred in 56 patients, 32 percent of all evaluable cases. The most frequent clotting abnormalities involved the prothrombin time, which was increased in 43 patients (24 percent). Prothrombin time prolongation correlated with bulky or advanced disease as defined by stage (p = 0.001), constitutional symptoms (p less than 0.0001), massive mediastinal involvement (p = 0.02), and elevated alkaline phosphatase levels (p less than 0.0001). Abnormal coagulation test results followed the course of disease, normalizing with tumor regression and reappearing during relapse. Despite the surprising incidence of abnormal coagulation results, bleeding complications were reported in only two cases. Patients undergoing invasive procedures in the presence of clotting abnormalities fared no worse than those in whom procedures were cancelled. There is no evidence that complete staging evaluation should be comprised because of these abnormal test values. Extensive hematologic testing revealed no single mechanism to explain the coagulation factor disorders found in Hodgkin's disease.

Adult↗

Correlation between immunologic function and clinical subpopulations of patients with the acquired immune deficiency syndrome.

The present study was designed to determine whether there was a significant correlation between the clinical presentation of patients with AIDS or AIDS-related illnesses and the degree of their underlying immunologic abnormalities. In 17 patients who presented with opportunistic infections, the mean number of T4 lymphocytes was 34/mm3 and the mean proliferative response to phytohemagglutinin 26,000 cpm; in 12 patients who presented with Kaposi's sarcoma alone, the mean number of T4 cells was 231/mm3 and the mean proliferative response to phytohemagglutinin, 32,809 cpm; and in nine patients with the lymphadenopathy syndrome, the mean number of T4 cells was 703/mm3 and the mean proliferative response to phytohemagglutinin, 49,317 cpm. These findings suggest that those patients who present with opportunistic infections as their initial clinical manifestation of AIDS may represent a subgroup with a more severe immunologic derangement prior to clinical diagnosis. Thus, in those who have a predisposition to Kaposi's sarcoma, this disease will often develop, prior to the development of T cell dysfunction, to the degree of that in those who present with opportunistic infections. This finding is of importance in attempts to understand the pathogenesis of this syndrome and in the design of therapeutic trials.

Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome↗

Phase II trial of recombinant leukocyte A interferon in patients with advanced chronic lymphocytic leukemia.

Recombinant leukocyte A interferon is a highly purified single molecular species of alpha-interferon prepared by recombinant DNA methods. In 1982, a phase II trial to evaluate the efficacy of recombinant leukocyte A interferon for patients with previously treated chronic lymphocytic leukemia was begun, and 19 patients were entered in this study. Patients received one of two dose schedules depending on their pretreatment platelet counts. Those with platelet counts greater than 100,000/mm3 received 50 X 10(6) units/m2 intramuscularly three times weekly, with dose reductions to 25 X 10(6) units/m2 and 5 X 10(6) units/m2 for unacceptable toxicity. Those with platelet counts less than 100,000/mm3 received 5 X 10(6) units/m2 intramuscularly three times weekly. Toxicity was dose-dependent and included fever, chills, fatigue, anorexia, myalgias, headache, leukopenia, and thrombocytopenia. Response was evaluable in all but one of the patients entered in this study. Two of the 12 patients treated with 50 X 10(6) units/m2 had a partial response, three had no response, and seven had progressive disease. Of the six patients starting at 5 X 10(6) units/m2 in whom response was evaluable, two had no response and four had progressive disease. Five patients with progressive disease (three at 50 X 10(6) units/m2 and two at 5 X 10(6) units/m2) had an acceleration of disease while receiving recombinant leukocyte A interferon. It is concluded that the dose and schedule of recombinant leukocyte A interferon therapy tested in this study are not effective in previously treated patients with advanced chronic lymphocytic leukemia.

Adult↗

Tumor markers: value and limitations in the management of cancer patients.

Sixteen tumor markers are reviewed, and measured to the ideal: produced by the tumor cell alone absent in health and in benign disease present in all patients with a given malignancy level in the blood representative of tumor mass detectable in occult disease. The only marker that approaches the ideal is human chorionic gonadotropin (HCG) in gestational trophoblastic tumors. In this malignancy, the HCG level suggests the diagnosis and stage, confirms response to therapy, and predicts relapse. The three most widely used and intensely studied tumor markers are carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA), alphafetoprotein (AFP), and HCG. CEA cannot be used in screening for cancer, but in carcinoma of the colon its elevation preoperatively increases the likelihood of advanced disease and postoperative recurrence. Postoperatively, elevated titers are often but not invariably associated with recurrent disease. AFP and HCG are useful in the management of nonseminomatous germ cell testicular tumors. Like CEA, they cannot be used for screening. They are more likely to be increased with advancing stage, and after therapy rising levels almost always mean recurrent disease. Some markers are valuable in specific circumstances, such as calcitonin in screening for familial medullary carcinoma of the thyroid. In multiple myeloma, immunoglobulins are useful in determining the tumor mass and response to therapy. In neuroblastoma, catecholamine metabolites are useful primarily in making the diagnosis. In some malignancies, the absence of effective therapy lowers the value of the marker, as for AFP in hepatoma. The remaining markers are too unreliable or too little studied to be useful in the management of an individual patient with cancer. The purpose of this paper is to provide the clinician with an understanding of the limitations of the present tumor markers that will lead to wiser use of the tests, and to provide standards to which future tumor markers should be measured.

Acid Phosphatase↗

Bone marrow-derived thymic antigen-presenting cells determine self-recognition of Ia-restricted T lymphocytes.

We previously have demonstrated that in radiation-induced bone marrow chimeras, T-cell self-Ia restriction specificity appeared to correlate with the phenotype of the bone marrow-derived antigen-presenting (or dendritic) cell in the thymus during T-cell development. However, these correlations were necessarily indirect because of the difficulty in assaying thymic function directly by adult thymus transplant, which has in the past been uniformly unsuccessful. We now report success in obtaining functional T cells from nude mice grafted with adult thymuses reduced in size by treatment of the thymus donor with anti-thymocyte globulin and cortisone. When (B10 Scn X B10.D2)F1 nude mice (I-Ab,d) are given parental B10.D2 (I-Ad) thymus grafts subcutaneously, their T cells are restricted to antigen recognition in association with I-Ad gene products but not I-Ab gene products. Furthermore, thymuses from (B10 X B10.D2)F1 (I-Ab,d)----B10 (I-Ab) chimeras transplanted 6 months or longer after radiation (a time at which antigen-presenting cell function is of donor bone marrow phenotype) into (B10 X B10.D2)F1 nude mice generate T cells restricted to antigen recognition in association with both I-Ad and I-Ab gene products. Thymuses from totally allogeneic bone marrow chimeras appear to generate T cells of bone marrow donor and thymic host restriction specificity. Thus, when thymus donors are radiation-induced bone marrow chimeras, the T-cell I-region restriction of the nude mice recipients is determined at least in part by the phenotype of the bone marrow-derived thymic antigen presenting cells or dendritic cells in the chimeric thymus.

Animals↗

Renal involvement in diffuse aggressive lymphomas: results of treatment with combination chemotherapy.

Nine (5.1%) of 175 patients with advanced disseminated diffuse aggressive non-Hodgkin's lymphoma presented with renal involvement and were initially treated with combination chemotherapy alone. These patients were classified as having renal involvement based on histologic and radiographic criteria. Five of the nine patients presented with a serum creatinine level greater than 2.5 mg/dL. Four patients achieved a complete remission of all systemic disease. Eight patients had complete resolution of renal involvement. Two patients later had recurrent renal disease associated with other sites of recurrence. All five patients who presented with an elevated serum creatinine level recovered normal renal function; in fact, four patients had normal renal function by the end of the first cycle of therapy. No patient required hemodialysis. Only one patient remains alive and free of disease at 55 months; five patients have died with disseminated disease; two patients have died without evidence of disease; and one patient was lost to follow-up while in remission. Initial local control of renal involvement including normalization of renal function in diffuse aggressive lymphoma can be rapidly achieved by combination chemotherapy alone.

Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols↗

In vivo treatment with monoclonal anti-I-A antibodies: disappearance of splenic antigen-presenting cell function concomitant with modulation of splenic cell surface I-A and I-E antigens.

A single injection of anti-I-Ak antibody (AB) into H-2k mice resulted in abrogation of splenic antigen-presenting cell (APC) function for protein antigen-primed T cells or alloantigen-specific T cells. Spleen cells from anti-I-A-treated mice are not inhibitory in cell mixing experiments when using cloned antigen-specific T cells as indicator cells, thus excluding a role for suppressor cells in the observed defect. Also, nonspecific toxic effects and carry-over of blocking Ab were excluded as causes for the defect. Experiments with anti-I-Ak Ab in (H-2b X H-2k)F1 mice showed abrogation of APC function for T cells specific for both parental I-A haplotypes. In homozygous H-2k mice, anti-I-Ak treatment not only abrogated APC function for I-Ak-restricted cloned T cells but also for I-AekE alpha k-restricted cloned T cells. FACS analysis of spleen cells from anti-I-Ak-treated (H-2b X H-2k)F1 mice revealed the disappearance of all Ia antigens (both I-A and I-E determined), whereas the number of IgM-bearing cells was unaffected. The reappearance of APC function with time after injection was correlated with the reappearance of I-A and I-E antigen expression. In vitro incubation of spleen cells from anti-I-A-treated mice led to the reappearance of Ia antigen expression and APC function within 8 hr. Thus, it appears that B cells (as determined by FACS analysis) and APC (as determined by functional analysis) behave similarly in response to in vivo anti-I-A Ab treatment. We interpret these findings as suggesting that in vivo anti-I-A treatment temporarily reduces the expression of Ia molecules through co-modulation on all Ia-bearing spleen cells, thereby rendering them incompetent as APC. Such modulation of Ia molecules does not occur when spleen cells are incubated in vitro with anti-I-A antibodies. These results imply that a primary defect purely at the level of APC in anti-I-A-treated mice may be responsible for the observed T cell nonresponsiveness when such mice are subsequently primed with antigen.

Animals↗

Distinct proliferative T cell clonotypes are generated in response to a murine retrovirus-induced syngeneic T cell leukemia: viral gp70 antigen-specific MT4+ clones and Lyt-2+ cytolytic clones which recognize a tumor-specific cell surface antigen.

After immunization of B6 mice with the syngeneic retrovirus-induced T cell leukemia/lymphoma FBL-3, two major tumor-specific proliferative T cell clonotypes were derived. T cell clones derived from long-term lines propagated by in vitro culture with irradiated tumor cells and syngeneic spleen cells were exclusively of the Lyt-2+ phenotype. Such clones were cytolytic, retained their proliferative phenotype indefinitely when expanded by repeated cycles of reactivation and rest, and recognized a tumor-specific cell surface antigen in association with class I MHC molecules. This tumor cell antigen was not present on nontransformed virus-infected cells. Class II MHC-restricted MT4+ clones specific for the viral antigen gp70 were derived from lymph node T cells of FBL-3 tumor-immune mice only by in vitro culture with purified Friend virus in the presence of syngeneic splenic APC. Once derived, however, such clones could be stimulated in the presence of FBL-3 tumor cells and syngeneic spleen cells, demonstrating the reprocessing of tumor-derived gp70 antigen by APC in the spleen cell population. In contrast, no reprocessing of the tumor cell surface antigen by splenic APC for presentation to the class I MHC-restricted T cell clones could be demonstrated. Evidence is presented that FBL-3 T leukemia/lymphoma cells function as APC for Lyt-2+ class I MHC-restricted clones, and that no concomitant recognition of Ia molecules is required to activate these clones. Both Lyt-2+ and MT4+ clones were induced to proliferate in the presence of exogenous IL2 alone, but this stimulus failed to result in significant release of immune interferon. In contrast, antigen stimulation of both clones resulted in proliferation as well as significant immune interferon release. Immune interferon production is not required for the generation of MHC-restricted cell-mediated cytolytic function.

Animals↗

Interleukin 2 receptor (Tac antigen) expression in HTLV-I-associated adult T-cell leukemia.

Interleukin-2 (IL-2) is a lymphokine synthesized by some T-cells following activation. Resting T-cells do not express IL-2 receptors, but receptors are rapidly expressed on T-cells following interaction of antigens, mitogens, or monoclonal antibodies with the antigen-specific T-cell receptor complex. Using anti-Tac, a monoclonal antibody that recognizes the IL-2 receptor, the receptor has been purified and shown to be a Mr 33,000 peptide that is posttranslationally glycosylated to a Mr 55,000 mature form. Normal resting T-cells and most leukemic T-cell populations do not express IL-2 receptors; however, the leukemic cells of the 11 patients examined who had human T-cell lymphotropic virus-associated adult T-cell leukemia expressed the Tac antigen. In human T-cell lymphotropic virus-I infected cells, the Mr 42,000 long open reading frame protein encoded in part by the pX region of this virus may act as a transacting transcriptional activator that induces IL-2 receptor gene transcription, thus providing an explanation for the constant association of IL-2 receptor expression with adult T-cell lymphotropic virus-I infection of lymphoid cells. The constant expression of large numbers of IL-2 receptors which may be aberrant may play a role in the uncontrolled growth of adult T-cell leukemia cells. Two patients with Tac-positive adult T-cell leukemia have been treated with the anti-Tac. One of the patients had 6- and 3-mo remissions of his leukemia following two courses of therapy with this monoclonal antibody directed toward this growth factor receptor.

Adult↗