1985 Volume 26 Issue 3 Pages 357-361
In order to detect suppressor lymphocytes to hematopoietic stem cells, CFU-E colony growth was compared before and after pre-treatment of bone marrow cells with anti-lymphocyte globulin (ALG) and complement in 17 patients with aplastic anemia. Peripheral blood T lymphocytes which suppressed allogeneic CFU-E colony growth were found in 7 cases. In 3 out of these 7 cases, CFU-E colony growth from patients' own marrow cells was enhanced significantly by pre-treatment with ALG and complement, but in the remaining 4 cases no significant enhancement was found. ALG therapy was given 3 cases in whom pre-treatment of bone marrow cells with ALG and complement in vitro enhanced CFU-E colony growth. This therapy was effective in only 2 cases. It is suggested that the results of in vitro tests can not predict the effectiveness of ALG therapy in vivo.
