concanavalin-a and Cryptosporidiosis

We examined T-cell proliferation in five patients with X-linked hyper-IgM syndrome (XHIM), using a panel of antigens and lectins. All patients had impaired antigen-induced proliferation, whereas their lectin responses were normal. Thus, in addition to severely depressed antibody responses, patients with XHIM have a defect in antigen-specific T-cell proliferation, which may explain their susceptibility to pathogens such as Pneumocystis carinii.

Topics: Antigens; Antigens, Fungal; Candida; CD40 Antigens; Concanavalin A; Cryptosporidiosis; Diphtheria Toxoid; Disease Susceptibility; Genetic Linkage; Humans; Hypergammaglobulinemia; Immunoglobulin M; Immunologic Deficiency Syndromes; Lectins; Ligands; Lymphocyte Activation; Male; Phytohemagglutinins; Pneumonia, Pneumocystis; Pokeweed Mitogens; T-Lymphocytes; Tetanus Toxoid; X Chromosome