Increase in peripheral blood 'null' cells in extrinsic bronchial asthma.
Lymphocyte subpopulations were measured in the peripheral blood of fifteen patients with extrinsic bronchial asthma and twenty-seven normal control subjects. No significant differences in the absolute numbers of relative proportions of T, B or K lymphocytes were found. Antibody-dependent lymphocyte-mediated cytotoxicity (K-cell activity) was also found to be normal. The proportion and absolute number of 'null' cells were significantly increased in the asthmatic group: this population did not correlate with serum IgE levels, the eosinophil count or the duration of disease. The significance of these results in relation to suppressor T-cell control of IgE formation is discussed.
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000920:Antibody-Dependent Cell Cytotoxicity; D001249:Asthma / Q000276:immunology*; D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007694:Killer Cells, Natural / Q000276:immunology; D007958:Leukocyte Count; D008214:Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011947:Receptors, Antigen, B-Cell; D012397:Rosette Formation; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology
D011947:Receptors, Antigen, B-Cell