Dermatophagoides farinae-, ovalbumin- and lactalbumin-specific IgG, IgG1, IgG4, IgA and IgM were evaluated in 161 healthy children [Group 1], 84 children with bronchial asthma and/or allergic rhinitis but without atopic dermatitis [Group 2], and 54 children with atopic dermatitis but without bronchial asthma and allergic rhinitis [Group 3]. We also studied D. farinae-, egg-white-, and milk-specific IgE of children with allergic diseases. D. farinae-specific IgG, IgG1, IgG4 and IgA in Groups 2 and 3 increased until 5 years of age and thereafter they remained constant. After 2 years of age, D. farinae-specific IgG, IgG1, IgG4 and IgA in Group 2 were higher than those in Groups 1 and 3. Ovalbumin- and lactalbumin-specific IgG, IgG1, IgG4 and IgA in Groups 2 and 3 increased until 1 year of age and thereafter decreased. Until 1 year of age, ovalbumin- and lactalbumin-specific IgG, IgG1 and IgG4 in Groups 3 were higher than those in Groups 1 and 2. D. farinae-, ovalbumin- and lactalbumin-specific IgM were constant in all ages of all groups. These results suggest that atopic dermatitis in young children is related to food-specific immunoglobulins and that respiratory allergic diseases in older children is related to D. farinae-specific immunoglobulins.

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The effects of recombinant human interleukin-3 (IL-3) and recombinant human granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF) on the growth of myeloid progenitor cells (CFU-C) in semisolid agar culture were studied in two patients with Kostmann-type congenital neutropenia. CFU-C growth in bone marrow cells from patients was significantly reduced in response to various concentrations of either IL-3 or G-CSF alone, compared with that from normal subjects. There was no inhibitory effect of bone marrow cells from patients on normal CFU-C formation supported by IL-3 or G-CSF. However, the simultaneous stimulation with IL-3 and G- CSF induced the increase of CFU-C formation in patients with congenital neutropenia. Furthermore, CFU-C growth in both patients was supported when bone marrow cells were preincubated with IL-3 in liquid culture followed by the stimulation with G-CSF in semisolid agar culture. In contrast, that was not supported by the preincubation with G-CSF and the subsequent stimulation with IL-3. This evidence suggests that the hematopoietic progenitor cells in patients with congenital neutropenia have the potential for developing CFU-C in the combined stimulation with IL-3 and G-CSF, and that this growth may be dependent on the priming of IL-3 followed by the stimulation with G-CSF. The level of mature neutrophils in peripheral blood was not fully restored to normal levels by the daily administration of G-CSF in doses of 100 to 200 micrograms/m2 of body surface area for 20 to 25 days in both patients. These observations raise the possibility that the combination of IL-3 and G-CSF might have a potential role for the increase of neutrophil counts in patients with congenital neutropenia.

The effects of recombinant human interleukin-3 (IL-3) and recombinant human granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF) on the growth of myeloid progenitor cells (CFU-C) in semisolid agar culture were studied in two patients with Kostmann-type congenital neutropenia. CFU-C growth in bone marrow cells from patients was significantly reduced in response to various concentrations of either IL-3 or G-CSF alone, compared with that from normal subjects. There was no inhibitory effect of bone marrow cells from patients on normal CFU-C formation supported by IL-3 or G-CSF. However, the simultaneous stimulation with IL-3 and G- CSF induced the increase of CFU-C formation in patients with congenital neutropenia. Furthermore, CFU-C growth in both patients was supported when bone marrow cells were preincubated with IL-3 in liquid culture followed by the stimulation with G-CSF in semisolid agar culture. In contrast, that was not supported by the preincubation with G-CSF and the subsequent stimulation with IL-3. This evidence suggests that the hematopoietic progenitor cells in patients with congenital neutropenia have the potential for developing CFU-C in the combined stimulation with IL-3 and G-CSF, and that this growth may be dependent on the priming of IL-3 followed by the stimulation with G-CSF. The level of mature neutrophils in peripheral blood was not fully restored to normal levels by the daily administration of G-CSF in doses of 100 to 200 micrograms/m2 of body surface area for 20 to 25 days in both patients. These observations raise the possibility that the combination of IL-3 and G-CSF might have a potential role for the increase of neutrophil counts in patients with congenital neutropenia.