Bestatin treatment of human lymphocytes increases the frequency of sheep red blood cell-binding cells

Treatment of cancer patients with Bestatin, a new immunomodulator increases the frequency of peripheral lymphocytes forming rosettes with sheep red blood cells (SRBC). This study has shown that treatment of lymphocytes from healthy donors with Bestatin in vitro increases the frequency of such cells and there is a slight decrease of C'3-receptor bearing cells. The proportions of TM and TG cells were not significantly changed. The results indicate that the increased frequency of SRBC-binding cells during Bestatin medication is not due to a mobilisation of T-cells but rather to an improved binding capacity of certain T-cells for SRBC.