[Action of the antitumor antibiotics, rubomycin and carminomycin, on the T- and B-cell population ratio in mouse lymphoid organs].

Quantitative ratios of T- and B-cells in the lymphoid organs of mice were studied comparatively at various periods after administration of rubomycin and carminomycin in maximum tolerated doses, i. e. 20 and 3 mg/kg. It was found that the antibiotics decreased the total number of the cariocytes in these organs and induced irregular elimination of T- and B-cells from the spleen and lymph nodes. Comparison of the time-course of T- and B-lymphocyte population reduction suggested that the cells reduced independently of each other, the reduction rate of B-cells being higher than that of T-cells.