T-lymphocyte subgroups and the activity of human natural killer (HNK) cells in low-grade and high-grade malignant cases of non-Hodgkin lymphoma.

T-lymphocyte subgroups and the percentage and activity of Human Natural Killer (HNK) cells were investigated in 24 patients suffering from low-grade and 24 patients with high-grade malignancies of non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL). The ratio of CD3, CD4, Leu-7, and HNK cells as well as the release by HNK cells of the 51Cr bound to target cells were found decreased, depending on the pathological stage. The tests were performed with OKT-monoclonal sera. A significant change was observed in the reactivity of bone marrow cells to monoclonal sera; the change was identical in character with that observed when lymphocytes isolated from the peripheral blood were used in the same tests. No significant changes could be observed in the quantitative relations of immunoglobulins. Such changes could by no means be expected, on the basis of the unchanged number of T-suppressor lymphocytes (CDB). As to the supposed immunological relation in detail, the role of a plasma factor that reduces T-lymphocyte formation is assumed to have primary importance in this phenomenon.