Subpopulations of B- and T-Lymphocytes in Peripheral Blood of Rheumatoid Patients

Using the immunofluorescent staining for detection of surface membrane immunoglobulin and the spontaneous rosette formation with sheep erythrocytes, B- and T-lymphocytes were identified in lymphocyte populations obtained from the peripheral blood of 36 patients with classical or definite rheumatoid arthritis and 13 normal adults. In all of three immunoglobulin subclasses, the mean percentage of B-lymphocytes in the peripheral blood of the patients was significantly higher than that of the normal subjects. On the other hand, the mean percentage of blood T-lymphocytes in the patients was remarkably low as compared with that of the normal controls.