Relationship of Serum Total IgE and Cell-Mediated Immunity in Patients with Hodgkin’s Disease

Abstract

Thymus-derived lymphocytes have been shown to play a role in the regulation of IgE synthesis in the rat. Both anergy and elevated serum IgE levels may be present in patients with Hodgkin’s disease. Cell-mediated immunity (CMI) was investigated by measurement of delayed skin test reactions with five common antigens. Serum IgE levels were determined at the same time. Impaired CMI was more prevalent in patients in stage III (13 of 15) and IV (15 of 19), as compared to patients in stage I and II (9 of 17). All 12 patients with elevated serum IgE levels (> 300 U/ml) had impaired CMI. These findings strongly suggest a relationship between impaired CMI and serum IgE in Hodgkin’s disease patients.