Decreased Autologous Rosette-Forming T Lymphocytes in Alcoholic Cirrhosis

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Abstract
Autologous rosette-forming T lymphocytes were enumerated in periphal blood of patients with established alcoholic cirrhosis and compared with T lymphocytes forming rosettes with sheep red blood cells (total and ‘active’ rosette-forming cells; RFC). Decreased autologous RFC was the most frequent T lymphocyte abnormality observed in 43 patients and was shown to occur even in patients with normal total and ‘active’ RFC. No correlation was found between autologous RFC and total or ‘active’ RFC. Skin anergy to 2,4-dinitrochlorobenzene was noted in 44% of the patients tested. Autologous RFC did not correlate with delayed cutaneous hypersensivity to 2,4-dinitrochlorobenzene.