Regulation of lymphokine-dependent reactions.

The experimental findings described here represent an initial approach toward a study of the mechanisms involved in the regulation and control of lymphokine activity. Work on experimental desensitization as well as clinical studies in lymphoproliferative disorders and sarcoidosis suggest that such control can be both at the stage of lymphokine production and at the stage in which lymphokine activity is being expressed. Interestingly, lymphokines themselves, when present systemically, can interfere with the induction of lymphokine-dependent delayed hypersensitivity reactions, both via preemption mechanisms and by abolition of essential mediator gradients.