A study of B and T cells in multiple sclerosis.

Peripheral blood T and B lymphocytes were enumerated using E and EAC red blood cell rosetting techniques. The percentage of EAC-binding cells in peripheral blood of multiple sclerosis patients is elevated (31.7 plus or minus 2.4S.E.M.) when compared with the percentage in healthy controls (18.5 plus or minus 1.1 S.E.M.). The total T cell percentage is not significantly lower in multiple sclerosis than in controls, but fewer T cells in patients with multiple sclerosis are able to bind 10 or more red blood cells.