Activation of lymphocyte subpopulations in patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia.
T lymphocytes from the peripheral blood of normal donors and patients with CLL were isolated by nylon wool filtration or E-rosette separation and tested for functional activities. Unseparated CLL lymphocytes showed a poor response to phytomitogens and to allogeneic cells. Subpopulations enriched in E-RFC showed an increased PHA- and a normal MLC-reactivity; the Con A responses, however, were markedly reduced in all experiments. Subpopulations which were T cell depleted showed no reactivity to all mitogens. Purified T cells from normal donors showed a decreased reactivity to PHA, Con A and PWM. The Con A responses were completely abolished in almost all experiments. These diminished responses could be restored by unseparated cells or by small numbers of syngeneic, mitomycin-treated monocytes. The data suggest that mitogen-induced T lymphocyte stimulation in vitro in general depends on the presence of monocytes.
D000921:Antibody-Producing Cells; D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D007165:Immunosuppression Therapy; D007945:Leukemia, Lymphoid / Q000276:immunology*; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation; D007959:Lymphocyte Culture Test, Mixed; D009000:Monocytes / Q000276:immunology*; D011947:Receptors, Antigen, B-Cell / Q000032:analysis; D012397:Rosette Formation
D011947:Receptors, Antigen, B-Cell