Cyclic adenosine 3':5'-monophosphate phosphodiesterase activity in normal and chronic lymphocytic leukemia lymphocytes.

The specific activity of cyclic adenosine 3':5'-monophosphate phosphodiesterase was measured in lymphocytes isolated from the blood of normal subjects, from patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia, and from tonsil tissue. The mean specific activity of cyclic adenosine 3':5'-monophosphate phosphodiesterase in the lymphocytes from patients with untreated chronic lymphocytic leukemia was lower than that in lymphocytes from the blood of normal subjects or from tonsils. Cyclic adenosine 3':5'-monophosphate phosphodiesterase levels did not correlate with differences in B- and T-cell lymphocyte subpopulations or with peripheral blood lymphocyte counts.