In Situ Quantitation of Lymph Node Helper, Suppressor, and Cytotoxic T Cell Subsets in AIDS

• Published in: Blood 1986-03, Vol.67 (3), p.596-603
• Main Authors: Wood, Gary S., Burns, Bruce F., Dorfman, Ronald F., Warnke, Roger A.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome - immunology; Adult; AIDS/HIV; Antigens, Differentiation, T-Lymphocyte; Antigens, Surface - analysis; Biological and medical sciences; Homosexuality; Humans; Immunodeficiencies; Immunodeficiencies. Immunoglobulinopathies; Immunopathology; Lymph Nodes - immunology; Lymph Nodes - pathology; Lymphatic Diseases - immunology; Male; Medical sciences; Middle Aged; Phenotype; T-Lymphocytes - classification; T-Lymphocytes - immunology; T-Lymphocytes, Cytotoxic - classification; T-Lymphocytes, Helper-Inducer - immunology; T-Lymphocytes, Regulatory - immunology
• ISSN: 0006-4971; 1528-0020
• DOI: 10.1182/blood.V67.3.596.596

We have used the novel monoclonal antibodies 9.3 and anti-Leu-8 in conjunction with other T cell markers to quantify T cell subpopulations in the paracortex, mantle, and germinal center compartments of frozen sections of lymph nodes from seven homosexual men with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) and five heterosexual controls. Antibody 9.3 allows dissection of the Leu-2+ cytotoxic/suppressor subset (Tcs) into 9.3+ cytotoxic cells (Tc) and 9.3- suppressor cells (Ts). Anti-Leu-8 allows dissection of the Leu-3+ helper subset (TH) into functionally distinct subpopulations. The data indicate that the T cells in patients with AIDS exhibit normal antigen expression but altered subset ratios. In this series, the data suggested that the reversal of the paracortical TH-Tcs ratio was due to an increase in T, with a concomitant decrease in TH and Tc. These changes were also reflected in a reversal of the normal paracortical Tc-Ts ratio (3.0) to