Distribution of T-cell subsets identified by monoclonal antibodies in cell suspensions from lymph node biopsies of human B-cell lymphomas.

The distribution of T-cell subsets has been examined in cell suspensions from lymph node biopsies from 37 non-Hodgkin lymphomas (NHL) of B-cell origin and 8 cases of Hodgkin's disease (HD). T-inducer/helper cells (T4+ cells) and T-suppressor/cytotoxic cells (T8+ cells) were identified by the monoclonal antibodies OKT4 and OKT8, respectively. Compared with reactive lymph nodes the T-cell subset distribution was aberrant in 18/37 (48.6%) of the B-cell lymphomas. The T-suppressor subset was dominating cells in 14/37 (37.8%) and the T-helper subset in 4/37 (10.8%) of the cases examined. In patients with leukaemic disease, a concordant T-cell subset distribution in lymph nodes and PBL was observed in 5 out of 6 cases. HLA-DR antigen was examined in a selected number of cases with a heteroantiserum. In general, the T-cells from neoplastic tissues expressed an increased percentage of HLA-DR antigen. This was most pronounced in cases with a dominance of T8+ cells, in which the majority of T8+ cells expressed HLA-DR antigen. These findings suggest that an increased proportion of activated T-suppressor cells are present in a proportion of B-cell lymphomas. Possible clinical and biological implications are discussed.