T and B lymphocytes in alpha-chain disease

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Abstract
The patients studied were diagnosed as suffering from .alpha.-chain disease by their clinicopathological features, malabsorption findings, X-ray and presence of abnormal .alpha.-chain protein in their serum. Any possible defect of the immune system in such patients was investigated. The rosette technique and surface immunofluorescence were used to enumerate the circulating T [thymus-derived] and B [bone marrow-derived] lymphocytes in these patients. They were also skin-tested with tuberculin and given sensitizing doses of dinitrochlorobenzene [DNCB]. Their serum immunoglobulins [Ig] were also quantitated. The proportion of circulating B lymphocytes was much higher than normal; T lymphocytes were lower than normal. They could not be sensitized to DNCB and their skin test to tuberculin was negative. The disease was a B-cell disease of IgA type, associated with low level of cellular immunity.