Production of hemopoietic growth factors and gamma-interferon by large granular lymphocytes from patients with T gamma lymphocytosis.

Two patients with T gamma lymphocytosis in whom expanded large granular lymphocyte (LGL) populations were detected in peripheral blood and bone marrow are described. The surface antigen phenotypes of the LGL from these patients were similar with a major portion of cells carrying T3, T8, T11 and Leu7 markers. However, whereas fresh LGL from both patients demonstrated antibody-dependent cell cytotoxicity (ADCC), natural killer (NK) cell function was present in one case but absent in the other. Supernatants from enriched suspensions of the LGL unstimulated by exogenous antigen or mitogens were shown to contain significant amounts of hemopoietic growth factors colony-stimulating activity (CSA) and burst-promoting activity (BPA). In one case gamma-interferon was also detected. This study contributes to the accumulating evidence that LGL are able to generate factors which have the capacity to influence the proliferation of hemopoietic progenitor cells in vitro.