S-100 Beta Positive Human T Lymphocytes: Their Characteristics and Behavior Under Normal and Pathologic Conditions

The characteristics of human S-100 beta-positive T lymphocytes (S-100 beta+ T cells) and their fluctuation in peripheral blood under normal and various pathologic conditions were investigated. S-100 beta+ T cells were small lymphocytes with no particular subcellular structures and showed a proliferative response to mitogens. They were present mainly in peripheral blood under normal conditions but accumulated in T zones of lymph nodes with nonspe- cific T-zone hyperplasia, where numerous interdigitating reticulum cells existed. In healthy adults approximately 1 % to 4% (mean 3.4%) of peripheral blood mononuclear cells were S-100 beta+ T cells. The proportion of S-100 beta+ T cells in peripheral blood tended to significantly decrease (<0.5%) in patients with neoplastic diseases; this tendency was apparently related to tumor progression.© 1987 by Grune & Stratton, Inc. 0006-4971/87/7001-0032$3.00/0