T-Lymphocyte and B-Lymphocyte Subpopulations Infiltrating Human Mammary Carcinomas2

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Abstract
Both T- and B-lymphocytes were found in human primary mammary carcinomas and were distributed in widely varying amounts, but in most tumors, T-lymphocytes predominated. A small percentage of the T-lymphocytes expressed receptors for the Fc portion of IgG (FcγR), but very few had receptors for C3 (C3+) (comparable to the findings in blood). A prominent subset of lymphocytes had FcγR and were C3+, and most of these were surface immunoglobulin (slg)-bearing cells. The majority of lymphocytes from this subset were Fc+ C3+, and only a small percentage were Fc+ C3− (in contrast to the findings in blood). IgD and IgM were the predominant classes of immunoglobulin found on the B-lymphocytes. The different preparative techniques did not result in a selective loss of lymphocyte subsets, but collagenase digestion did lead to a loss of expression of the C3 receptor on the lymphocyte surface, which was recoverable when lymphocytes were reincubated at 37°C. No evidence was found for blocking of the C3 receptor by immune complexes with activated complement.