Plasma Interferon-gamma and IL-4, Immunoglobulin Classes and Nitric Oxide in Nigerians with Acute Leukaemia

Acute leukaemia are usually rapidly progressive with death often occurring in a few weeks to a few months in untreated patients as a result of abnormal hematopoietic function as well as impaired immune response. The risk of relapse which remains in 20% of patients in remission calls for more research on acute leukaemia. This study therefore, evaluated the plasma levels of nitric oxide (NO), interleukin-4 (IL-4), interferon-gamma (IFN-γ) and immunoglobulin classes (IgA, IgG, IgM, IgE) in twenty-five (25) patients with acute leukaemia (AL) and twenty-five (25) apparently healthy controls. The mean levels of plasma IgA, IgG and IgM were not significantly elevated in leukaemia patients compared with control. However, the mean plasma levels of IgE, NO, IL-4 and IFN-γ were significantly elevated in leukaemia patients compared with controls. It could therefore be concluded from this study that humoural immunity is not depressed in acute leukaemia patients.