Subpopulations of human T lymphocytes. I. Studies in immunodeficient patients.

T lymphocytes with receptors for IgM(Tmu) and IgG(Tgamma) were examined in thirty patients with primary immunodeficiency and autoimmune disorders. Six out of twenty-seven patients with primary immunodeficiency had a low proportion of Tmu cells when compared with normal controls. Eight out of twenty-seven patients with primary immunodeficiency had an increased proportion of Tgamma cells. Two out of twenty-seven patients had both a low proportion of Tmu cells and a high proportion of Tgamma cells. The patient studied with severe combined immunodeficiency had a low proportion of both Tmu and Tgamma cells. Patients with Bruton-type agammaglobulinaemia, common variable immunodeficiency, thymoma and immunodeficiency syndrome and selective IgA deficiency demonstrated heterogeneity with regard to alterations in T-cell subpopulations.