THE EFFECT OF ACYCLOVIR ON THE PROLIFERATIVE CAPACITY OF MONONUCLEAR-CELLS FROM PATIENTS WITH CHRONIC LYMPHOCYTIC-LEUKEMIA

The cellular response of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) fro m patients with B-cell chronic lymphocytic leukemia to increasing dose s of acyclovir was examined by their capacity to incorporate H-3-TdR, and their response to phytohemagglutinin, concanavalin A and pokeweed mitogen. PBMC from healthy donors served as controls. Acyclovir caused a dose-dependent inhibition of H-3-TdR incorporation and mitogenic re sponse in both leukemic and control cells, the effect on the latter be ing more pronounced. Although the results suggest that leukemic cells are less vulnerable than the controls, the toxic effect of acyclovir o n the cellular immune response should be considered in the treatment o f leukemic and other immunosuppressed patients.