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T‐cell functional abnormality in B‐chronic lymphocytic leukaemia: evidence of a defect of the T‐helper subset
Author(s) -
Lauria F.,
Foa R.,
Mantovani V.,
Fierro M. T.,
Catovsky D.,
Tura S.
Publication year - 1983
Publication title -
british journal of haematology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.907
H-Index - 186
eISSN - 1365-2141
pISSN - 0007-1048
DOI - 10.1111/j.1365-2141.1983.00277.x
Subject(s) - t helper cell , immunology , pokeweed mitogen , t cell , b cell , population , biology , interleukin 21 , medicine , microbiology and biotechnology , immune system , peripheral blood mononuclear cell , antibody , in vitro , genetics , environmental health
S ummary . The helper and suppressor capacity of T, T μ (T nonγ) and Tγ cells was assessed in a group of patients with B‐cell chronic lymphocytic leukaemia (B‐CLL) in a pokeweed mitogen (PWM) stimulated system. The enriched T‐cells (E‐rosette positive) from all B‐CLL cases showed a reduced capacity to induce the differentiation of normal B‐lymphocytes compared with normal T‐cells ( P <0·005). After enrichment of the T μ cells, the helper/inducer capacity was still significantly depressed compared with the same fraction from normal controls ( P <0·01). On the other hand, enriched Tγ cells from B‐CLL were effective in suppressing the differentiation of normal B‐lymphocytes to a similar degree as normal Tγ cells. These findings are indicative of a deficient T‐cell helper function in B‐CLL, which appears to be unrelated to the clinical stage of the disease. The fractionation experiments suggest that this functional impairment is not only due to the abnormal T‐cell subset distribution seen in the majority of cases, but point to a possible intrinsic defect within the T μ cell population.