T-lymphocyte subsets in lymph nodes from homosexual men
R. L. Modlin, P. R. Meyer, F. M. Hofman, M. Mehlmauer, N. B. Levy, R. J. Lukes, J. W. Parker, A. J. Ammann, M. A. Conant, T. H. Rea and C. R. Taylor
To evaluate further the immunodeficiency of homosexual men, blood and lymph
node specimens were obtained from five homosexual men with lymphadenopathy
and from seven homosexual men with Kaposi's sarcoma. Monoclonal antibodies
were used to identify T-lymphocyte subsets in blood by cytofluorometry and
in frozen sections of nodes by immunoperoxidase techniques. The homosexuals
with Kaposi's sarcoma had a T-helper/suppressor ratio in blood of 0.7; the
homosexuals with lymphadenopathy had a ratio of 0.6, compared with controls
of 2.1. Control lymphoid tissue had a ratio of 3.0 in the interfollicular
areas compared with the reactive lymph nodes in the homosexuals with
lymphadenopathy, which was 0.7, and nodes from patients with Kaposi's
sarcoma, 0.9. The nodes from homosexual men had evident numerous suppressor
cells in the follicular center and mantle regions, locations in normal
lymphoid tissue where suppressor cells were uncommon.
