Immunologic abnormalities in homosexual men. Relationship to Kaposi's sarcoma. NLM AIDSLINE Important note: Information in this article was accurate in 1982. The state of the art may have changed since the publication date.

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Immunologic abnormalities in homosexual men. Relationship to Kaposi's sarcoma.

Am J Med. 1982 Aug;73(2):171-8. Unique Identifier : AIDSLINE MED/82281437
Stahl RE; Friedman-Kien A; Dubin R; Marmor M; Zolla-Pazner S

Abstract: Studies were performed to define the immunologic status of various groups of homosexual men including homosexual men with Kaposi's sarcoma, healthy homosexual men who were of similar ages to the homosexual patients with Kaposi's sarcoma and homosexual men with hyperplastic lymphadenopathy. Heterosexual men with Kaposi's sarcoma were also studied. Immunologic parameters which were examined included serum immunoglobulin levels, enumeration of B cells, T cells, and T-cell subsets, and quantitation of lymphocyte responsive to phytohemagglutinin (PHA) and pokeweed mitogen (PWM). Significant immunologic abnormalities were observed in all three groups of homosexuals studied. These were most severe in the homosexuals with Kaposi's sarcoma, somewhat less severe in homosexual men with lymphadenopathy, and least marked but still significant in healthy homosexual men. Heterosexual men with Kaposi's sarcoma displayed essentially normal immunologic profiles. The possible etiologic factors underlying the immunologic abnormalities in the male homosexual population studied and the role of an altered immune system in the development of and the fulminant course of Kaposi's sarcoma in these patients are discussed.
Keywords: *Homosexuality Human Hyperplasia *Immunity Immunoglobulins/ANALYSIS Leukocyte Count Lymphatic Diseases/IMMUNOLOGY Lymphocyte Transformation/DRUG EFFECTS Male Phytohemagglutinins/PHARMACOLOGY Pokeweed Mitogens/PHARMACOLOGY Sarcoma, Kaposi's/*IMMUNOLOGY Skin Neoplasms/IMMUNOLOGY Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S. Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S. JOURNAL ARTICLE

KWDhomosexualityhumanhyperplasiaKWDimmunityimmunoglobulins/analysisleukocytecountlymphaticdiseases/immunologylymphocytetransformation/drugeffectsmalephytohemagglutinins/pharmacologypokeweedmitogens/pharmacologysarcoma,kaposi's/KWDimmunologyskinneoplasms/immunologysupport,uKWDsKWDgov't,non-pKWDhKWDsKWDsupport,uKWDsKWDgov't,pKWDhKWDsKWDjournalarticle
821230
M82C0017

Copyright © 1982 - National Library of Medicine. Reproduced under license with the National Library of Medicine, Bethesda, MD.

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