Production of leukocyte inhibitory factor (LIF) in Hodgkin's disease. Spontaneous production of an inhibitor of normal lymphocyte transformation

Skin reactivity and phytohemagglutinin (PHA)-induced lymphokine production (leukocyte inhibitory factor, LIF) were assessed in 30 patients with untreated Hodgkin's disease and found to be markedly depressed. These two parameters of cell-mediated immunity showed a 78.5% positive correlation. In addition increased LIF-like activity was found in supernatants of unstimulated mononuclear cells in 40% of Hodgkin's disease patients but rarely in other malignancies. A close association was found between spontaneous release of a LIF-like substance and depressed PHA-induced LIF production. Furthermore lymphocytes from 10 of 12 Hodgkin's disease patients studied demonstrated spontaneous uptake of [3H]thymidine. The supernatants produced by some unstimulated Hodgkin's disease mononuclear cells were able to suppress the lympho-proliferative response of normal cells to PHA. It is postulated that cellular unresponsiveness observed in Hodgkin's disease is partly explained by the production of an inhibitory factor (or factors), possibly by suppressor T cells. © 1977.