Altered Proportion of Tmu and Tgamma-Cell Subpopulations in Patients with Hodgkin's Disease

Abstract

The ability of peripheral blood lymphocytes from patients with Hodgkin's disease (HD) to form rosettes with ox red blood cells (ORBC) sensitized by anti‐ORBC purified rabbit IgM and IgG was investigated. The mean percentage of cells capable of forming rosettes with ORBC coated with IgM (EA_IgM‐RFC) in the peripheral blood of either untreated or X‐ray‐treated patients with HD was significantly lower than that of normal individuals. In the same groups of patients with HD the mean percentage of T lymphocytes equipped with receptor for IgG (Tγ lymphocytes), evaluated by a mixed fluorescent rosette assay, was significantly higher than in normal controls. These data suggest that the altered proportion between Tμ‐ and Tγ‐cell subpopulations in patients with HD probably represents a disease‐related phenomenon.