T and B lymphocytes and Reed-Sternberg cells in Hodgkin's disease lymph nodes and spleens.

Lymphoid cells from twenty-four untreated Hodgkin's disease biopsies were examined for spontaneous sheep erythrocyte and sensitized ox erythrocyte rosette formation for the identification of T cell and cells with Fc and C3 receptors and surface immunoglobulin. Compared with normal tissues mean T-lymphocytes values were elevated in both involved lymph nodes and uninvolved spleens from Hodgkin's patients. Lymphocytes bearing C3 receptors were correspondingly reduced in these tissues. Involved spleen T-cell values fell within the normal range. In normal tissues the sum of lymphocytes with surface immunoglobulin and sheep erythrocyte receptors fell in the range 89-108%. In six biopsies of Hodgkin's tissue the sum was outside the normal range (121-142%). This observation is compatible with surface immunoglobulin-coated T cells. Surface marker characteristics and intracellular immunoglobulin studies of small lymphocytes, lymphoblasts and Hodgkin's cells suggested that the neoplastic cells were of B lymphocyte origin.