[Fc-IgG and Fc-IgM receptor-carrying lymphocytes in human blood. Optimization of determining T(M) lymphocytes].

Several methods for enumeration of Fc receptor bearing T lymphocytes and mononuclear cells from human peripheral blood were compared. The detection of Fc receptors is based on the formation of EA rosettes by using bovine erythrocytes and purified rabbit IgG or IgM antibodies. As alternative method the mixed rosette assay (EA rosettes plus sheep erythrocyte rosettes) (3) was applied for determining TG lymphocytes without the need of T cell separation. Independent of the method used for T cell separation (preparative rosetting with sheep erythrocytes stabilized by AET or HSA) the number of TG and TM lymphocytes was found to be identical. TG values obtained by use of the mixed rosette assay were significant lower (10 +/- 2%) than those obtained with the classical test (18 +/- 5%) (EA rosettes after T cell separation). Obviously this difference is due to a contamination of T lymphocyte preparations by non-T cells. On freshly isolated T lymphocytes without overnight culture we obtained 29% and 35%, respectively TM lymphocytes after separation of T cells using sheep erythrocyte rosettes stabilized with AET or HSA. The expression of FcIgM receptors was found to be strongly dependent on the composition and pH value of the culture medium. In the presence of human AB serum the maximum of FcIgM receptor expression on isolated T cells was obtained at pH 8.5. Under optimum conditions we found 63% and 66% respectively TM lymphocytes after T cell separation using AET or HSA stabilized sheep erythrocytes.