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.