Epstein-Barr virus transformed B lymphoblastoid cell line (B-LCL) obtained from a patient with common variable immunodeficiency could be subfractionated by percoll gradient density fractionation to yield a subpopulation which was moderately responsive to T cell replacing factor (TRF). The increase of immunoglobulin secretion with TRF was significant only in high density fraction (Fraction 4). It was revealed that B-LCL in Fraction 4 were phenoty-pically different from those in bulk or other fractions by the immunofluorescence study and had TRF receptors on their surface by the experiment of adsorption of TRF. The results suggest that percoll density gradient centrifugation method would provide as a novel tool of isolating TRF sensitive cells.

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Pancreozymin-Secretin test (PS test) was conducted for 25 cases of Sjörgen's syndrome (SjS) for the purpose of studying pancreatic lesions in SjS. Pancreatic juice was collected for 60 minutes after intravenous injection of secretion, and concentrations of β₂-microglobulin (β₂-m) and Lactoferin (LF) in pancreatic juice were determined by Radioimmunoassay.
Additionally, continuous determination of urine amylase was made for the same cases, and the usefulness of this method as a screening test for pancreatic lesions was studied.
As a result, only one case (4%) showed a definite decline in the pancreatic secretory function in the PS test. However, the β₂-m level in pancreatic juice was high in 10 (45%) out of 22 cases and the LF level was likewise high in 8 (36%) out of 22 cases, the difference being significant compared with the normal control group (p<0.05, p<0.1).
Sixteen (64%) out of 25 cases were positive to the urine amylase continuous determination test. With this method, however, amylase from the salivary gland should be taken into consideration in SjS. If used in combination with analysis of isoenzyme, this method may be useful as a screening test.
Judging from results above, such a diminished pancreatic secretory function as poses a clinical problem is rare in SjS, but high levels of β₂-m and LF suggest the presence of subclinical pancreatic lesion.

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Cutaneous T cell lymphoma (CTCL) is a malignancy of helper T cells, which originates in, or predominantly involves, the skin. Initially, these neoplastic cells possess an affinity for the epidermis (epidermotropic type). With the progress of the disease, however, loss of this affinity occurs (non-epidermotropic type) resulting in dissemination of neoplastic cells to extracutaneous sites. The aim of this study is to clarify the differences in the phenotypes and functions of infiltrating cells between epidermotropic and non-epidermotropic type of CTCL.
The majority of the infiltrating cells in CTCL showed positive membraneous staining with OKT 3 and OKT 4 monoclonal antibodies. Significant numbers of OKT 8⁺ cells were present, especially in epidermotropic type of CTCL. A large percent of infiltrating cells also expressed the Ia-like antigens. Moreover, in some patients with epidermotropic type of CTCL, epidermal cells (keratinocytes) reacted with OKIal monoclonal antibody. In functional analyses, infiltrating T cells isolated from the skin lesions of epidermotropic type of CTCL possessed both helper and suppressor functions, which were not different from those of circulating T cells from healthy individuals in quality. However, dysfunction of infiltrating T cells was detected in non-epidermotropic type of CTCL. It is more likely that the difference in the prognoses between epidermotropic and non-epidermotropic type of CTCL could be ascribed to the percentage of OKT 8⁺ cells and OKIa1-positive cells in dermal infiltrates and to the functional maturity of infiltrating T cells.

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The effects of recombinant interleukin 2 (re-IL2) and interferonγ (re-IFNγ) on the natural killer (NK) cell activity were studied, special cares being paid to elucidate the interrelationship between these lymphokines. Peripheral blood lymphocytes from normal volunteers and gastrointestinal cancer patients were obtained by Ficoll-Urografin sedimentation. Augmentation of NK cell activity was induced after incubating the cells with various doses of re-IL2 or re-IFNγ for 18 hours. NK cell activity was measured by the 4.5hr ⁵¹Cr-release assay using K-562 cells as a target. The NK cell activity from both normal donors and cancer patients was greatly enhanced by re-IL2. This augmentation of NK cell activity by re-IL2 was dose dependent and even as small dose as 10u/ml of re-IL2 was able to augment NK cell activity significantly. On the other hand, augmentation of NK cell activity by re-IFNγ (range-8.8 to 19.6% at 1, 000u/ml) was much less, although significant, than that induced by re-IL2 (19.1 to 65.7% at 100u/ml). These results indicate that re-IL2 much more effective than re-IFNγ in the augmentation of NK cell activity in vitro. No significant differences were observed in the augmentation ratios of NK cell activity by either re-IL2 or re-IFNγ among the different cancer stages. Although re-IL2 could augment NK cell activity regardless the donors conditions, healthy or cancerous, it did not necessarily always induce IFNγ activity. Hence, we speculate that re-IL2 might work directly on NK cells without mediating IFNγ induction.

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IAP is one of serum immunosuppressive factors in patients with malignant disease. We evaluated correlation between serum IAP values and other immunological parameters and histopathological findings in patients with malignant disease, especially gastric cancer and lung cancer.
IAP values showed negative correlation with PPD and SU-PS skin tests in patients with gastric cancer and correlated with alpha 1-and alpha 2-globlin in patients with gastric cancer and lung cancer.
IAP values also increased mostly in accordance with advances of the disease in patients with gastric cancer and lung cancer. In patients with gastric cancer, IAP values correlated with size of the tumor and showed significant difference between group with lymphnode metastasis and those without metastasis.
These results suggested that IAP was useful to evaluate immunological state and advance of the disease in patients with malignant disease.
However, IAP is not specific for malignant disease, since it is also closely related to inflammation.

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A 50-year-old woman presented unilateral retrobulbar optic neuritis and laboratory evidence of autoimmune diseases.
On January 25, 1984, visual loss and retrobulbar pain in her right eye appeared.
There were no evidence of retinal vasculitis and abnormality of the optic disc. Physical examination and neurological consultation were normal.
The erythrocyte sedimentation rate was 24mm/hr, the antinuclear antibody titer was 1:20 with a shaggy and speckled pattern, the serum complement activation titer of 15.5 CH 50U/ml was low and the circulating immune complex was 8.4μg/ml. Cerebrospinal fluid studies revealed an elevated initial pressure, an increased protein concentration and positive oligoclonal IgG band.
Retrobulbar optic neuritis was diagnosed and dexamethasone 3mg/day was administrated.
Her visual loss and immunological data improved. But six months later, antinuclear antibodies, low complementemia and oligoclonal IgG band were still present.
Although retrobulbar optic neuritis with immunological abnormalities have never been reported in Japan, further precise immunological examination can reveal more frequent immunological complication in retrobubar optic neuritis.

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IL2 receptors (IL2R) are expressed on T cells activated in vitro with antigens or mitogens.
PHA-activated T cells from patients with primary immunodeficiency diseases were examined for the expression of IL2R, using anti-Tac antibody.
In this study, we have demonstrated that the expression of IL2R on activated T cells were significantly low in patients with one Wiskott-Aldrich syndrome, two ataxia telangiectasia and two of six common variable immunodeficiency when compared with control. It is likely that, in some primary immunodeficiency diseases, deficiencies of T cell activation might be due to a defect of IL2R expression.

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It was studied whether the microcytotoxicity test of simple manual method was useful or not to examine the reactivity of monoclonal antibodies (OKT3, T4, T8, T11, M1, Ia1) on human mononuclear cells (MNC). The test materials were MNC of 39 healthy donors and those of 16 patients, and their T and B cells isolated by the column method. Record results of % cell lysis were judged by the 10 grades scale.
The results of normal MNC were coincident with those of the other manual methods and the flow cytometry. Our test method was confirmed to be useful also to T and B cells isolated by the column method. In case of abnormal MNC, the results of chronic renal failure and adult T cell leukemia were coincident with those of previous reports. As the result, this method could be put to practical use.

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