Isolation of T Lymphocytes in Chronic Lymphocytic Leukaemia by Depletion of Mouse Rosette-forming Cells

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Abstract
Separation of mouse rosette-forming cells (MRFC) was used as a technique to isolate T lymphocytes in patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia. The resulting interface fraction (non-MRFC) was highly enriched for sheep rosette-forming T cells (mean value 71.8% SRFC) as compared with unfractionated peripheral blood lymphocytes (mean value 18% SRFC). A higher degree of T-cell purity was achieved by this method than by the sheep rosette sedimentation technique in patients with leukocyte counts greater than 50 .times. 109/l. Functional tests revealed that depletion of MRFC increased phytohemagglutinin and mixed lymphocyte culture (MLC) reactivity and the stimulatory capacity in the allogeneic MLC. Separation of MRFC in normal blood donors gave only a poor degree of separation and was not an effective means to isolate lymphocyte subpopulations.