Summary
The distribution of T cell subsets and the T colony-forming capacity were assessed in 22 patients with hairy-cell leukemia. An overall increase in the proportion of Tγ cells (31±15%) and a decrease in Tµ cells (38±11%) were observed if compared with normal controls (16±6% for Tγ and 51±13% for Tµ). In half of the patients, however, these values were normal. Tγ cells were highest in the splenectomized patients and in the 15 non-splenectomized patients Tγ cells were higher in those with active disease. Patients with stable disease or in remission had values close to normal. The T colony-forming capacity of unseparated and enriched T lymphocytes was normal regardless of the T cell subset distribution and clinical stage of the disease. These findings suggest that in HCL, unlike B cell chronic lymphocytic leukemia, the imbalance in Tµ/Tγ ratio does not result in an impairment of thein vitro T colony-forming capacity.
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This work was supported in part byConsiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche (CNR), Roma, Italy, finalized project ‘Control of Tumor Growth’, contract no. 81.01291.96 and 81.01367.96. Enrico Incarbone was supported by ‘Associazione Italiana Ricerca sul Cancro’.
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Lauria, F., Foà, R., Gobbi, M. et al. T lymphocyte subsets and colony growth in hairy-cell leukemia. La Ricerca Clin. Lab. 12, 567–572 (1982). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02909341
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02909341