Peripheral T-cell lymphomas. Immunoregulatory cytokine (interleukin-2, interleukin-4, and interferon-gamma) abnormalities and autologous mixed lymphocyte reaction.

BACKGROUND: Cytokines are the most important secretions of the immune system and have a wide range of immunoregulatory functions in various immune disorders and T-cell malignancy. The authors have determined that characteristic enhanced autologous mixed lymphocyte reaction (AMLR) of the lymph node-derived malignant T-cells from peripheral T-cell lymphomas is a function of the T-cell derived cytokines interleukin (IL)-2, IL-4, and interferon-gamma (IFN-tau).

METHODS: Autologous mixed lymphocyte reaction assay was performed by the standard proliferative response (3H-thymidine incorporation), by culturing autologous lymph node-derived or blood-purified T-cells with autologous blood-purified mitomycin-c treated non-T-cells. The production of IL-2, IL-4, and IFN-tau in the AMLR cultures was determined by bioassay or enzyme immunoassays.

RESULTS: Enhanced IL-2 and IFN-tau but deficient IL-4 production is the most characteristic and unique feature of the augmented AMLR in peripheral T-cell lymphomas.

CONCLUSION: The immunoregulatory aberrations in lymph node-derived malignant T-cells that produce highly elevated IL-2 and IFN-tau but decreased IL-4 during augmented AMLR may play an important role in immune dysfunction in this neoplasm (peripheral T-cell lymphomas).