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Abstract. Current knowledge of human T cell ontogeny is reviewed in terms of appearance of T cells in central and peripheral lymphoid organs, maturation of T cell markers, and development of immune functions. Extrapolation of growth curves derived from cell counts from fetal thymus, spleen, and bone marrow indicates the appearance of lymphocytes at 3.5 weeks gestation. Erosette-forming cells are present in thymus at 11 weeks and in peripheral organs 15 to 16 weeks gestation, beta-2-Microglobulin is associated with all lymphoid cells by 13 weeks gestation. Lymphocyte responses to the T cell mitogen phytohemagglutinin (PHA) are first detected in thymus at 10 weeks and in spleen and blood 3 to 4 weeks later. Allogeneic responses in mixed lymphocyte reactions develop at about 7.5 weeks in fetal liver and later in thymus and peripheral organs. Lymphocytotoxicity for xenogeneic cells is a property of bone marrow cells and not thymocytes. Several aspects of development of a suppressor T cell in human neonates is discussed and related to similar findings in the mouse. These studies indicate a relatively high degree of maturation of human T cells during fetal life. Pediatrics 64 (suppl):795-802, 1979; T cells, ontogeny, immunology, thymus, lymphocyte. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Determines the role of cytotoxic T lymphocyte (CTL) in persistence of human papillomavirus (HPV) infection. Detection of CTL responses in women with HPV 16 infections; Role of CTL in clearing HPV 16 infection in women without intraepithelial lesion (SILs); Implications of E6 antigen response.

An 8-year-old boy with chronic granulomatous disease (CGD) was admitted in moribund condition with aspergillus pneumonia. Because of the gravity of the situation, normal granulocyte infusions were used as adjuncts to the more conventional antimicrobial therapy. White blood cells, derived from a total of 58 units of whole blood obtained by leukophoresis of the father, were given in two separate doses. The first dose, totaling 2.8 x 10[sup 10] granulocytes, was coincident with significant improvement, and the second, totaling 3.0 x 10[sup 10] granulocytes, was coincident with the onset of clinical improvement and interim recovery. Transient improvement in in vitro granulocyte function was noted in cells taken from the patient's blood immediately after infusion. No adverse effects of the infusions were noted in either the patient or the donor. Although it is impossible to divorce the therapeutic effect of the granulocyte infusions from the more conventional therapy, we conclude that normal granulocyte infusions can be considered a valid adjunct in children with CGD who are suffering from a life-threatening infection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Natural killer (NK) cells are a class of lymphocytes important in immune resistance to viral and other serious diseases. The cytotoxic function, or ‘killing activity’ of NK cells has become important in studies of the effects of stress and other psychosocial factors on physical health. Unfortunately, research on NK cell function has been plagued by discrepancies in the methods of interpreting NK cytotoxicity data. We briefly review some of the variations in measuring NK cell activity and present a new model for interpreting these results, introducing maximal target cell lysis (A) and the slope of the cytolytic curve (k) as parameters that attempt to make full use of the information and the statistical power in NK cell cytotoxicity data. Examples of these interpretation methods are presented using NK cytotoxicity data from a group of metastatic breast cancer patients. This approach will be useful in applications of NK cell measurement in psychoneuroimmunology research. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To assess the incidence of human immunodeficiency virus type 1(HIV-1) transmission by antibody (anti-HIV-1)-positive blood components, and to determine the immunologic and clinical course in HIV-1-infected recipients.Design and Subjects: We retrospectively tested approximately 200,000 donor blood component specimens stored in late 1984 and 1985 for anti-HIV-1, and we contacted recipients of positive specimens to determine their serologic status. They were compared with both recipients of HIV-1-negative transfusions and healthy (untransfused) controls. Subjects were seen at 3- to 6-month intervals for up to 4 years for clinical and immunologic evaluations.Measurements and Main Results: Of 133 recipients, 9 had other possible exposures. Excluding these cases, 111 of 124 (89.5%) were anti-HIV-1-positive (95% CI, 84.1% to 94.5%). The recipient's sex, age, underlying condition, and type of component did not influence infection rates. The cumulative risk for developing the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) within 38 months after transfusion was 13% (CI, 7.5% to 21.6%). At 36 +/- 3 months after the index transfusion, seropositive recipients had lower counts of CD2+CDw26+, CD4+, CD4+CD29+, and CD4+CD45RA+subsets and more CD8+I2+ lymphocytes than did recipients of anti-HIV-1-negative transfusions. The CD4+ and CD2+CDw26+subsets changed the most rapidly. The absolute CD8+ count remained normal.Conclusions: Transfusion of anti-HIV-1-positive blood infected 90% of recipients. The rate of progression to AIDS within the first 38 months after infection was similar to that reported for homosexual men and hemophiliacs. Although most lymphocyte subset counts changed over time, CD8+ counts were constant. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: We tested the impact of stress management training on sexual behavior and immune functioning in 64 gay men infected with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). Subjects randomized to the stress management group met for eight two-hour sessions and one all day retreat to learn systematic relaxation, health behavior change, and stress management skills. Compared to those randomized to a wait list control, treatment subjects reported significantly fewer sexual partners in the prior month at post-test (1.10 vs 2.29 for controls). There were no differences between groups in lymphocyte numbers and function. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Focuses on a study that examined patients with cutaneous bacillary angiomatosis or bacillary splenitis without evidence of HIV infection. Characteristics of immunocompetent patients with bacillary angiomatosis and bacillary splenitis; Complications experienced by patients who lacked vascular lesions; Diagnosis of cutaneous bacillary angiomatosis in the patients.