[Electron microscopy and cytochemistry studies of lymphocyte subpopulations in corticosteroid deficiency]

The authors studied the number, structure and function of different blood T lymphocyte subpopulations in experimental hypocorticoidism of male CBA mice with the use of modern hematological, cytochemical, immunological and electron microscopy methods. One week after bilateral adrenalectomy the blood showed a considerable absolute and relative lymphocytosis determined by an increase in the content of Thy I-positive, ANAE-positive (giving positive reaction during identification of acid non-specific alpha-naphthylacetate esterase) cells and large granule-containing lymphocytes, a group, which includes natural killers and cells possessing antibody-dependent cell-mediated cytotoxicity. Transmission and scanning electron microscopy demonstrated changes in submicroscopic structure of different blood lymphocytes in adrenalectomized mice. It may be inferred that during hypocorticoidism, there takes place a complicated immunological transformation resulting in the changes in the function of different T lymphocyte subpopulations and natural killers responsible for immune defence of the body.