TY - JOUR
T1 - Effects of short-term administration of human chorionic gonadotropin on immune functions in cryptorchid children
AU - Maghnie, M.
AU - Valtorta, A.
AU - Moretta, A.
AU - Larizza, D.
AU - Girani, M. A.
AU - Severi, F.
PY - 1991/2
Y1 - 1991/2
N2 - To delineate the effects of human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) administration on immune responsiveness, immunological parameters including serum immunoglobulins, total and differential white blood cell count T and B lymphocyte membrane phenotype, in vitro, proliferative response to phytohaemagglutinin, Concanavalin A (ConA) and pokeweed mitogen were studied in 13 prepubertal cryptorchid boys before, during, and 3 months after hCG therapy. Before treatment, all the immunological parameters were normal except for an unexpected high percentage of T suppressor-cytotoxic cells (CD8+). During therapy, the absolute number of total peripheral blood lymphocytes, and that of total T-cells, T helper-inducer cells and of CD8+ subsets were diminished. The percentage of CD8+ cells and lymphocyte response to ConA decreased significantly and returned to normal after hCG withdrawal. The possible effects of long-term hCG treatment remain to be determined.
AB - To delineate the effects of human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) administration on immune responsiveness, immunological parameters including serum immunoglobulins, total and differential white blood cell count T and B lymphocyte membrane phenotype, in vitro, proliferative response to phytohaemagglutinin, Concanavalin A (ConA) and pokeweed mitogen were studied in 13 prepubertal cryptorchid boys before, during, and 3 months after hCG therapy. Before treatment, all the immunological parameters were normal except for an unexpected high percentage of T suppressor-cytotoxic cells (CD8+). During therapy, the absolute number of total peripheral blood lymphocytes, and that of total T-cells, T helper-inducer cells and of CD8+ subsets were diminished. The percentage of CD8+ cells and lymphocyte response to ConA decreased significantly and returned to normal after hCG withdrawal. The possible effects of long-term hCG treatment remain to be determined.
KW - Cryptorchidism
KW - Human chorionic gonadotropin
KW - Mitogens
KW - T suppressor-cytotoxic cells
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U2 - 10.1007/BF01955520
DO - 10.1007/BF01955520
M3 - Article
C2 - 1674245
AN - SCOPUS:0025924308
VL - 150
SP - 238
EP - 241
JO - European Journal of Pediatrics
JF - European Journal of Pediatrics
SN - 0340-6199
IS - 4
ER -