Changes in the surface membrane of lymphocytes from patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia and Hodgkin's disease.

Abstract

AbstractLymphocytes were isolated from the peripheral blood of 15 normal persons, 15 patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL), 10 patients with Hodgkin's disease and 3 patients with CLL in remission. The cells were studied for cap formation and agglutinability by concanavalin A, and for cell attachment to the surface of a Petri dish. The percentages of lymphocytes with a cap were 25–34% for normal persons, 5–9% for CLL patients whether under treatment or not, 1–3% for untreated patients with Hodgkin's disease and about a normal percentage for CLL in remission. Vinblastine in all cases induced only about a 1.5‐ to 2‐fold increase in the percentage of cells with a cap. Agglutinability by concanavalin A was low for normal persons and high for all the patients including those with CLL in remission. Cell attachment to the Petri dish was low for normal persons and Hodgkin's disease patients, intermediate for CLL in remission and high for patients with CLL. Similar results for normal persons were obtained with peripheral blood lymphocytes that were predominantly T cells and with isolated normal B cells. Compared to lymphocytes from normal persons, lymphocytes from CLL patients were therefore different in cap formation, agglutinability and cell attachment; those from Hodgkin's disease in cap formation and agglutinability; and those from CLL in remission in agglutinability and cell attachment. These results indicate that there are different surface membrane changes in lymphocytes from patients with CLL, Hodgkin's disease and CLL in remission. It is suggested that these membrane changes may be useful as an aid in diagnosis.