The Medical Implications of Nuclear War (1986) / Chapter Skim
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14 The Immunological Impact of Nuclear Warfare
14 The Immunological Impact of Nuclear Warfare
Pages 317-328
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From page 317... ...
T lymphocytes control cellular immune responses and are the effecters of cell-mediated immune reactions; they protect against certain bacterial infections and many veal and fungal infections, and they provide resistance to malignant tumors. There are several distinct functional T lymphocyte subpopulations (Table 11.
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From page 318... ...
Whole-body x irradiation with 400 reds in albino rabbits completely eliminates antibody response to an antigen presented 48 hours after exposure. ~ Mice exposed to 450 reds of total body x irradiation exhibit suppressed intracellular digestion of foreign erythrocytes.2 Sublethal x irradiation in mice results in an increased incidence of neoplastic diseases.3 There is much clinical evidence of immunosuppression by x irradiation in humans.
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From page 319... ...
Similar effects have been observed in rheumatoid arthritis patients treated with TLI.~2 TLI induces potent nonspecific suppressor lymphocytes which inhibit the cytotoxic T lymphocyte response.~° In a variety of clinical situations, TLI produces lasting reductions in the ratio of helper to suppressor T lymphocytes. The mechanism of immune suppression by x irradiation appears to be a reduction in T lymphocyte function associated with a reduced ratio of helper to suppressor T lymphocytes.
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From page 320... ...
radiation therapy for psoriasis. PUVA photochemotherapy causes a reduction in helper T lymphocytes and a reduction in the lymphocytic response to the mitogen phytohemagglutinin.28 The abnormally low response to mitogens is associated with a decrease in the percentage of helper lymphocytes.29 If the predominant nuclear winter scenarios prove accurate, the increased UV-B exposure of human populations can be expected to impair immune function in a manner similar to the effects of ionizing radiation; i.e., it would result in a reduction of the helper-to-suppressor T lymphocyte ratios in many survivors.
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From page 321... ...
Sepsis is most likely to occur when suppressor cell populations are at a maximum, 7 to 14 days after the injury.37 A high suppressor-to-helper T lymphocyte ratio has been noted in patients soon after burn injuries of greater than 30 percent of body surface area, and high levels of postburn suppressor T lymphocyte activity accurately predict the incidence of mortality from sepsis.38 T lymphocyte function is significantly depressed in burn injuries covering more than 25 percent of the body surface area,36 accompanied by a reduction in helper and an increase in suppressor T lymphocytes.39 Reduced helper-to-suppressor ratios are a predictor of mortality from sepsis. Thus, blast and burn injuries in nuclear war survivors can be expected to reduce immune competence in a manner similar to the effect of ionizing and ultraviolet radiation.
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From page 322... ...
Each of these nutrients is important in maintaining a healthy immune response. Studies in rats and mice indicate that vitamin B ~2 may be highly important to T lymphocyte immune reactions.49 Riboflavin-deficient animals are more susceptible to infection.S° Vitamin A deficiency in animals leads to depleted numbers of T lymphocytes; depressed lymphocyte response to certain mitogens; and an increased frequency and severity of bacterial, viral, and protozoan infections.S° Iron deficiency is also accompanied by impaired in vitro lymphocyte responsiveness to mitogenic stimulation.S° Abnormalities of T lymphocyte function have also been noted in pyridoxine and zinc deficiency.S~ Based on epidemiologic observations, the World Health Organization report on interactions between nutrition and infectionS2 noted that severe ascorbic acid (vitamin C)
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From page 323... ...
A striking similarity exists between acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) and the anticipated immunosuppressed condition of survivors of a nuclear war: both are characterized by absolute depression of the helper T lymphocyte population, reduced helper-to-suppressor T lymphocyte ratios, reduced lymphocytic response to mitogens and antigens, and reduced to absent antibody response following immunization.
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From page 324... ...
Patients with AIDS show depression of T lymphocyte populations and reduced helper-to-suppressor T lymphocyte ratios similar to those anticipated in millions of nuclear war survivors. There is considerable experimental evidence that T lymphocytes provide immune sur
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From page 325... ...
Severe immunodeficiencies of the T lymphocyte variety are to be anticipated after exposure of human populations to nuclear war. Epidemics of diseases in which T lymphocytes mediate the immune response would be likely in Me months and years following a nuclear attack.
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From page 326... ...
A., et al., 1983. In viva low dose UVB irradiation induces suppressor cells to contact sensitizing agents.
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From page 327... ...
1982. Depressed immune response in burn patients: use of monoclonal antibodies and functional assays to define the role of suppressor cells.
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From page 328... ...
Pp. 2946 in Malnutrition and the Immune Response, R
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