[Bone marrow T-lymphocyte subpopulations in patients with multiple myeloma]

The bone marrow quantitative distribution of the two main T-lymphocyte subsets, recognizable by the "high" and "low-affinity" E-rosette forming cell technique, according to West, was evaluated in ten untreated myeloma patients and twelve normal controls. It was observed, within a normal total T-lymphoid cell count, a significant predominance of the T-lymphocyte subset with "low-affinity" characteristics. An inverse correlation, with statistical significance, between the monoclonal malignant B-component and "low-affinity" T-cell percentage was also seen in all cases. It was suggested, therefore, that such an imbalance between "high" and "low-affinity" T-subsets, with the latter predominating, could play a role in the regulation of the monoclonal B-component growth rate.