Immunologic characteristics of human peripheral lymph cell populations.

Cell populations in afferent lymph of human leg were defined by surface characteristics and cytotoxic activity in 7 normal men and 9 patients with localized cancer. A higher percentage of E-rosette forming cells was found in lymph (78.5 and 83.0) than in blood (60.0 and 63.0 p less than 0.05). The percentages of lymph EA-RFC were 10.3 and 18.0, of EAC-RFC 13.1 and 8.0, of surface immunoglobulin carrying cells 3.0 and 3.1. In blood 20.6 and 18.0 percent of cells formed EA-rosettes, 23.0 and 15.6 EAC-rosettes, 5 and 9.5 contained surface immunoglobulins. The differences between lymph and blood EA- and EAC-RFC in normals were statistically significant (p less than 0.05). In cancer patients only lymph-blood differences for S Ig+ were significant (p less than 0.05). No significant differences were found between normals and cancer patients. In both groups, the natural cytotoxicity against K 562 cells was 6 times lower in lymph as compared to blood (p less than 0.05), the cytotoxicity in those with cancer was higher than in normals (p less than 0.05). The study indicates that B cells have a limited tendency toward leaving the blood circulation and migrating through tissues. Moreover natural killer cells do not seem to belong to the recirculating pool of lymphocytes.