Enhancing effects of thymopoietin and T cell growth factor on mitogenic responsiveness and colony formation of lymphocytes from patients with preleukemia

Cloning efficiencies and mitogenic responsiveness of lymphocytes from patients with preleukemic disorders are significantly depressed compared to normal values. TP-5 and IL-2 markedly increased the cloning efficiency and mitogenic responsiveness of lymphocytes from many of the preleukemic patients studied, while there was little or no effect in control cultures. Enhancement of lymphocyte responsiveness with TP-5 and IL-2 suggests the presence of maturational/-functional defects in these patients which may be compensated for in part by addition of TP-5 and IL-2