Reduction in arm swelling and changes in protein components of lymphedema fluid after intraarterial injection of autologous lymphocytes.

The intraarterial arm injection of freshly isolated autologous lymphocytes to a patient with upper extremity secondary lymphedema brought about a rapid and remarkable reduction in arm swelling. The protein components in the edema fluid were analyzed by two-dimensional electrophoresis before and after lymphocyte injection. We observed the appearance of a novel protein spot, with an isoelectric point of 6.5, in an electropherogram as early as 30 minutes after the lymphocyte injection. Immunoblotting using antibody against human total serum proteins suggested that the novel protein was not derived from the serum. Because incubation in vitro of the lymphedema fluid with the isolated lymphocytes produced a new protein spot, corresponding to the novel protein observed in vivo, we suspect that the novel protein originated from limited hydrolysis of a unique protein present in the arm edema fluid. Significance of the novel protein and the role of limited proteolysis after lymphocyte injection in the management of lymphedema are examined.