The Effects of Azathioprine and Levamisole on Rosette-forming Cells of Healthy Subjects and Cancer Patients

Overview

Journal Clin Exp Immunol

Publisher Oxford University Press

Specialty Allergy & Immunology

Date 1977 Aug 1

PMID 908176

Citations 6

Authors

H Verhaegen

W De Cock

J de Cree

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

The in vitro effects of azathioprine and levamisole on the capacity of peripheral lymphocytes to form rosettes with sheep erythrocytes were studied in fifteen healthy subjects and forty-one cancer patients. Azathioprine significantly inhibited rosette formation of T lymphocytes in healthy subjects and cancer patients in remission. In contrast, azathioprine could not inhibit rosette formation of T lymphocytes in cancer patients with advanced disease. Patients with advanced tumour had also fewer rosette-forming cells (RFC) than healthy subjects. Levamisole, an anti-anergic chemotherapeutic agent, restored azathioprine-inhibited RFC in healthy subjects and in fifteen out of twenty-two cancer patients. Levamisole alone significantly enhanced low RFC in cancer patients.

Citing Articles

Lymphocyte reactivity in Imuran-treated guinea-pigs and in vitro effect of colchicine.

Milosevic D, Sami I, Stanojevic-Bakic N, SPUZIC I Experientia. 1981; 37(5):519-20.

PMID: 7250328 DOI: 10.1007/BF01986173.

Therapeutic workshop on modifying the disease process in rheumatoid arthritis: immunosuppression in perspective.

Ann Rheum Dis. 1982; 41 Suppl 1:1-60.

PMID: 7065738 PMC: 1030282. DOI: 10.1136/ard.41.suppl_1.1-a.

Lymphocyte populations in patients with myasthenia gravis. Influence of thymectomy and immunosuppressive drugs.

Ippoliti G, Piccolo G, Lombardi M, Carnevale Maffe G, Cosi V, Pinelli P Ital J Neurol Sci. 1982; 3(4):273-80.

PMID: 6984698 DOI: 10.1007/BF02043574.

Effect of levamisole and azathioprine on the human mixed lymphocyte reaction (MLR).

Al-Safi S, Maddocks J Br J Clin Pharmacol. 1984; 18(1):83-5.

PMID: 6234912 PMC: 1463576. DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-2125.1984.tb05025.x.

The effects of azathioprine and levamisole on lymphocyte stimulation.

Ivanyi L Clin Exp Immunol. 1979; 38(2):370-5.

PMID: 527269 PMC: 1537860.

References

Verhaegen H, de Cree J, De Cock W, Verbruggen F . Restoration by levamisole of low E-rosette forming cells in patients suffering from various diseases. Clin Exp Immunol. 1977; 27(2):313-8. PMC: 1540796. View

Van Ginckel R, Hoebeke J . Effects of levamisole on spontaneous rosette-forming cells in murine spleen. Eur J Immunol. 1976; 6(4):305-7. DOI: 10.1002/eji.1830060414. View

Bach M, Bach J . Studies on thymus products. VI. The effects of cyclic nucleotides and prostaglandins on rosette-forming cells. Interactions with thymic factor. Eur J Immunol. 1973; 3(12):778-83. DOI: 10.1002/eji.1830031208. View

Ramot B, Biniaminov M, Shoham C, Rosenthal E . Effect of levamisole on E-rosette-forming cells in vivo and in vitro in Hodgkin's disease. N Engl J Med. 1976; 294(15):809-11. DOI: 10.1056/NEJM197604082941504. View

Verhaegen H, De Cock W, de Cree J, Verbruggen F, Brugmans J . Letter: In-vitro restoration by levamisole of thymus-derived lymphocyte functions in Hodgkin's disease. Lancet. 1975; 1(7913):978. DOI: 10.1016/s0140-6736(75)92040-1. View

Biniaminov M, Ramot B . Letter: In-vitro resotration by levamisole of thymus-derived lymphocyte function in Hodgkin's disease. Lancet. 1975; 1(7904):464. DOI: 10.1016/s0140-6736(75)91543-3. View

Dardenne M, Bach J . Studies on thymus products. I. Modification of rosette-forming cells by thymic extracts. Determination of the target RFC sub-population. Immunology. 1973; 25(3):343-52. PMC: 1423062. View

Poulter L, BRADLEY N, Turk J . Differential effect of azathioprine on theta-antigenicity of mouse lymphocytes. Immunology. 1974; 26(4):777-85. PMC: 1423176. View

Dellon A, Potvin C, Chretien P . Thymus-dependent lymphocyte levels in bronchogenic carcinoma: correlations with histology, clinical stage, and clinical course after surgical treatment. Cancer. 1975; 35(3):687-94. DOI: 10.1002/1097-0142(197503)35:3<687::aid-cncr2820350322>3.0.co;2-u. View

10.

Anthony H, Kirk J, Madsen K, MASON M, Templeman G . E and EAC rosetting lymphocytes in patients with carcinoma of bronchus I. Some parameters of the test and of its prognostic significance. Clin Exp Immunol. 1975; 20(1):29-40. PMC: 1538183. View

11.

Hadden J, Coffey R, Hadden E, Sunshine G . Effects of levamisole and imidazole on lymphocyte proliferation and cyclic nucleotide levels. Cell Immunol. 1975; 20(1):98-103. DOI: 10.1016/0008-8749(75)90088-x. View

12.

Potvin C, Tarpley J, Chretien B . Thymus-derived lymphocytes in patients with solid malignancies. Clin Immunol Immunopathol. 1975; 3(4):476-81. DOI: 10.1016/0090-1229(75)90072-0. View

13.

Bach J, Dardenne M . Activities of immunosuppressive agents in vitro. I. Rosette inhibition by azathioprine. Rev Eur Etud Clin Biol. 1971; 16(8):770-7. View

14.

Bach J, Dardenne M, Fournier C . In vitro evaluation of immunosuppressive drugs. Nature. 1969; 222(5197):998-9. DOI: 10.1038/222998a0. View