Lymphocyte subsets in human thymoma studied with monoclonal antibodies

Lymphocyte subsets were investigated using OKT series monoclonal antibodies and flowcytometry in 16 cases of thymoma. From the viewpoint of lymphocyte subsets, thymoma could be divided into three types: thymus lymphocyte type, peripheral lymphocyte type, and intermediate type. In thymus lymphocyte type, the number of OKT-6+ cells exceed that of OKT-3+ cells, and are more than 50%. In peripheral lymphocyte type, the number of OKT-6+ cells are less than that of OKT-3+ cells and less than 10%. In intermediate type, OKT-6+ cells are between 10% and 30%. These three types correlate well with the histologic features with respect to the number and distribution of lymphocytes in thymoma tissue. Lymphocytes were infiltrating abundantly and intermingled in the tumor cell nests in thymus lymphocyte type, and were infiltrating rather scantly and outside the nests in peripheral lymphocyte type.