Lactic dehydrogenase in normal and leukemia lymphocyte subpopulations: evidence for the presence of abnormal T cells and B cells in chronic lymphocytic leukemia.

Lactic dehydrogenase (LDH) was quantitated and the isozyme pattern studied in lymphocyte subpopulations from normal people and patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL). Normal T lymphocytes differed from normal B lymphocytes in having greater total LDH activity (597.2 versus 252.1). Total LDH activity in CLL T cells (347.1) was lower than normal T cells., but not significantly different than normal B cells. Total LDH activity in CLL B cells (124.6) was lower then normal B cells and normal T cells. The isozyme pattern of normal T lymphocytes showed a higher activity in the LDH-1 band (26.7% versus 5.4%) but showed a lower activity in LDH-5 band (4.3% versus 16.3%) compared to normal B cells. Chronic lymphocytic leukemia T cells could be distinguished from CLL B cells by a high LDH-5 band (22.3% versus 7.6%) and from normal T cells by a high LDH-5 band (22.3% versus 4.3%) and a low LDH-1 band (7.3% versus 26.7%). CLL B cells could be distinguished from normal B cells by a low LDH-5 band (7.6% versus 16.3%). Thus, the LDH isozyme pattern distinguishes normal T lymphocytes from normal B lymphocytes, and normal T and B lymphocytes from CLL T and B lymphocytes.