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Circannual variation in lymphocyte subsets, revisited
Author(s) -
Paglieroni T.G.,
Holland P.V.
Publication year - 1994
Publication title -
transfusion
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.045
H-Index - 132
eISSN - 1537-2995
pISSN - 0041-1132
DOI - 10.1046/j.1537-2995.1994.34694295067.x
Subject(s) - variation (astronomy) , lymphocyte subsets , immunology , medicine , immune system , t cell , physics , astrophysics
Background : Circadian and circannual variations in lymphocyte subsets, especially CD8+ T‐lymphocytes, have been reported. This study focuses on CD4+ T‐lymphocyte seasonal variation over a 6‐year 8‐month period. Study Design and Methods : Lymphocyte subsets were quantitated monthly for four healthy individuals from 1986 through 1992 as part of a flow cytometry quality‐control program. Results : In general, there were no significant seasonal changes in the total number of white cells or in total lymphocyte counts. The absolute numbers of CD4+ T‐lymphocytes were lowest in summer when the CD8+ T‐lymphocytes were highest. Mean CD4+ T‐lymphocyte counts were 846, 967, 618, and 695 per microL for Subjects 1 through 4, respectively, in winter and 432, 670, 355, and 766 per microL, respectively, in summer. Two healthy subjects had CD4+ T‐lymphocyte counts lower than 300 per microL on one or more occasions during the study period. In three of the four subjects, the percentage of B‐lymphocytes in winter was almost double that in summer. In one of the four subjects, no circannual rhythm was observed in these lymphocyte subpopulations. Conclusion : The seasonal variation in CD4+ T‐ lymphocyte counts demonstrated in three healthy individuals over almost 7 years is again of interest in light of renewed consideration of using surrogate tests, such as CD4+ T‐lymphocyte counts, to screen for AIDS‐ like diseases that may be in the blood supply.