[Response of human lymphocytes to phytohemagglutinin (PHA) as measured by fluorescence polarization technique--differences between malignant conditions and benign or healthy conditions].

Percoll gradient (density: 1.081 g/cm3) centrifugation of peripheral venous blood yielded two layers of mononuclear cells. Preliminary study using lower lymphocyte layer revealed that there were significant differences in lymphocyte fluorescence polarization changes after PHA stimulation between malignant conditions and benign or healthy conditions, while such differences were not apparent by use of upper lymphocyte layer. According to these preliminary results, we studied fluorescence polarization changes after PHA stimulation in lower lymphocyte layer obtained from 242 individuals, including 49 apparently healthy women, 93 patients with benign gynecological tumor, 17 patients with severe dysplasia of the uterine cervix and 83 patients with malignant gynecological tumor. Stimulation index (R) was defined as the ratio between the degree of polarization before PHA stimulation (P CONTROL) and the degree of polarization after PHA stimulation (PPHA): R = PPHA/PCONTROL. R values of less than unity (R less than 1) indicate stimulation with PHA, and R values of greater than unity (R greater than or equal to 1), non-stimulation with PHA, respectively. R values of less than unity (R less than 1) was found in 118 of 142 (83.1%) healthy women or patients with benign tumor, 5 of 17 (29.4%) patients with cervical dysplasia, and 13 of 83 (15.7%) patients with malignant tumor, respectively. Preoperative R values of greater than unity decreased to R values of less than unity in 17 of 20 (85.0%) patients who received complete resection of the malignant lesion, while decline of R values was noted only in 8 of 22 (36.4%) patients who received incomplete resection of the lesion and/or chemotherapy or radiation. Present findings indicate that fluorescence polarization changes after PHA stimulation in lymphocytes isolated by Percoll gradient facilitate feasible detection of various malignancies.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)