Antibody dependent cellular cytotoxicity (ADCC)-reaction and an in vitro steroid sensitivity test of peripheral lymphocytes in children with malignant haematological and autoimmune diseases.

ADCC reaction (antibody dependent cellular cytotoxicity), ADCC capacity and ADCC steroid sensitivity examinations were performed in 20 children with tumorous or haematological diseases, 10 children with autoimmune diseases, and appropriate controls, in order to establish the killer function and steroid sensitivity. In the above diseases a study was also made of the correlation of the individual reactions with the duration of steroid therapy. The two patient groups did not exhibit a significant difference from the controls as concerns the ADCC reaction and ADCC capacity. In the group of tumorous or malignant haematological diseases the steroid sensitivity behaved in a different way, with sensitivity in 45%, moderate sensitivity in 20%, and steroid resistance in 35% of the patients. Steroid inhibition of the ADCC reaction was significantly decreased in the group of autoimmune patients. There was no correlation between ADCC reaction and ADCC steroid sensitivity or resistance in either group, and thus the ADCC steroid resistance or sensitivity and lymphocyte killer function proved to be independent. No correlation was found between the steroid sensitivity or resistance and the duration of steroid treatment.