Lymphocytes in human immunodeficiency states: a study of membrane‐associated immunoglobulins

The peripheral blood lymphocytes from fourteen patients with various types of immunodeficiency states were studied with respect to surface immunoglobulins by the fluorescent antibody technique. The results obtained ranged from a complete absence of immunoglobulin‐bearing lymphocytes in certain patients to normal levels in others. Serial determinations in each patient gave similar results. Three male children with the X‐linked form of the disease and very low serum immunoglobulins had no lymphocytes that stained for immunoglobulins. However, two brothers and a third boy who presumably also had this type of disease, had immunoglobulin‐bearing lymphocytes in the low normal range. Of special interest was an adult female patient with a thymoma who showed no such lymphocytes. Patients with the common variable type of immunodeficiency all had some staining lymphocytes numbering from a very few to within the normal range. The findings indicate that this approach provides important information regarding the basic defects in certain of these patients, and various hypotheses are proposed.