Immunological suppression after surgery in scoliosis patients.

This is a prospective study to analyze the postoperative immunological changes in scoliosis surgery. Twenty-eight patients who underwent Harrington instrumentation were analyzed. Seven patients who underwent arthroscopic surgery were analyzed as a control group.

A low level of macrophages enhances anti-TNP plaque-forming cell generation by human lymphocytes against TNP-Brucella abortus, a T-independent antigen.

Making use of trinitrophenyl-Brucella abortus (TNP-Ba), a T-independent antigen, the mechanism of antibody production in vitro by human lymphocytes was studied, focusing on the accessory role played by macrophages (m phi). Human tonsillar cells and peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBL), and their fractions which were depleted of T cells, M phi, or both by rosetting with sheep erythrocytes and glass adherence plus passage through a Sephadex G-10 column, were stimulated in vitro with TNP-Ba under optimal culture conditions. Substantial antibody response against the antigen was induced in the whole tonsillar cells, while no appreciable level of response was induced in the whole PBL.

[Application of flow cytometry to the diagnosis of leukemia].

As an application of the flow-cytometry the diagnosis of leukemia was tried by using both the scattergram at 0 degree or 90 degrees and the light activated cell sorting on human peripheral leukocytes and bone marrow blood cells. This new examination method which has never been clinically used involves several problems, but the scattergram either 0 degree or 90 degrees is able to make graphical diagnosis on various leukemia, while the light activated cell sorting is able to observe the kinetics on a trace of leukemic cells in cases of hypoplastic leukemia, pre-leukemic state or pre-relapse of leukemia. These facts are considered to affect considerably the criteria of remission.