Transfer factor therapy: evidence for nonspecificity.

Four patients were treated with multiple doses of dialyzed transfer factor in which one Wiskott-Aldrich patient with abnormal IgG monocyte receptors obtained benefit. All patients converted skin reactivity, and had improved in vitro lymphocyte responses to varying degrees. Three patients developed positive reactivity to allogeneic cells in MLC, and one patient developed DNCB reactivity. These latter two findings suggest transfer factor may act by inducing a nonspecific maturation of lymphocyte function. A possible mechanism for the action of transfer factor is discussed.