Distribution of T‐Cell Subsets Identified by Monoclonal Antibodies in Cell Suspensions from Lymph Node Biopsies of Human B‐Cell Lymphomas

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Abstract
The distribution of T‐cell subsets has been examined in cell suspensions from lymph node biopsies from 37 non‐Hodgkin lymphomas (NHL) of B‐cell origin and 8 cases of Hodgkin's disease (HD). T‐inducer/helper cells (T4+ cells) and T‐suppressor/cytotoxic cells (T8+ cells) were identified by the monoclonal antibodies OKT4 and OKT8, respectively. Compared with reactive lymph nodes the T‐cell subset distribution was aberrant in 18/37 (48.6%) of the B‐cell lymphomas. The T‐suppressor subset was dominating cells in 14/37 (37.8%) and the T‐helper subset in 4/37 (10.8%) of the cases examined. In patients with leukaemic disease, a concordant T‐cell subset distribution in lymph nodes and PBL was observed in 5 out of 6 cases.HLA‐DR antigen was examined in a selected number of cases with a heteroantiserum. In general, the T‐cells from neoplastic tissues expressed an increased percentage of HLA‐DR antigen. This was most pronounced in cases with a dominance of T8+ cells, in which the majority of T8+ cells expressed HLA‐DR antigen. These findings suggest that an increased proportion of activated T‐suppressor cells are present in a proportion of B‐cell lymphomas. Possible clinical and biological implications are discussed.