title: Enumeration of absolute numbers of T lymphocyte subsets in B-chronic lymphocytic leukaemia using an immunoperoxidase technique: relation to clinical stage.
abstract: An immunoperoxidase technique has been used to identify and enumerate helper and suppressor T-cell subsets, as defined by reactivity with Coulter T4 and OKT8 monoclonal antibodies in 54 patients with B chronic lymphocytic leukaemia (B-CLL) and in the same number of matched controls. The ratio of T4+ to T8+ cells was significantly reduced in the B-CLL group as a whole (P less than 0.001) and in each stage of the three clinical staging systems. There was an increase in the median absolute level of T8+ cells in the whole CLL group (P less than 0.001). However, subdivision of the CLL group by clinical staging systems revealed a large group (28 patients) in which median T8+ cell levels were not raised and median T4+ cell levels were low (P less than 0.01). There was no significant decrease in T4+:T8+ ratio, increase in T8+ cells or decrease in T4+ cells with progression of clinical stage. Absolute numbers of E+ cells were significantly raised in all staging systems as were E+ T4- T8- cells (P less than 0.001). A significant alteration in either of these populations with progression of clinical stage was not present.
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology; D005260:Female; D005455:Fluorescent Antibody Technique; D006801:Humans; D007124:Immunoenzyme Techniques; D007945:Leukemia, Lymphoid / Q000097:blood* / Q000473:pathology; D007958:Leukocyte Count; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000145:classification* / Q000276:immunology