Monoclonal antibody analysis of T cell subsets in 40 patients with immunodeficiencies.

A panel of previously characterized monoclonal antibodies: OKT3, OKT4, OKT8, OKT10, OKT11, OKIa1, OKM2; 3A1, 4F2, UCTH1 and 5/9 were used to evaluate peripheral blood mononuclear cells in patients with severe primary immunodeficiencies: three patients with severe combined immunodeficiency, five with X-linked agammaglobulinemia, 20 with common variable hypogammaglobulinemia, 11 with IgA defect, and one with an unclassified form of T cell defect and hypogammaglobulinemia. Surface markers for T and B cells and in some cases functional assays, were also performed. Our results indicate a heterogeneous pattern in patients with severe combined immunodeficiency: one had peripheral blood mononuclear cells negative with all the monoclonal antibodies used; one had an increase in OKM2+ cells, whereas OKT3+ cells were absent; one had defect and imbalance of immunoregulatory T cell subpopulations.