PHA dose dependent defect in lymphocyte stimulation and E-rosette-forming cells in untreated Hodgkin's disease

14 untreated patients with Hodgkin's disease were tested for lymphocte reactivity in vitro to optimal and suboptimal doses of PHA. A PHA dose-dependent defect in lymphocyte stimulation was demonstrated in patients when compared with a group of normal individuals. No correlation between the in vitro defect and decreased absolute number of E-rosette-forming cells (T-lymphocytes) in peripheral blood was found.