1983 Volume 6 Issue 1 Pages 32-39
K-cell population in normal healthy children was studied by means of a microplate method so as to make a comparison with that in normal adults, and K-cell population in patients with leukemia and juvenile rheumatoid arthritis (JRA) were investigated. Sixteen normal children showed values of 5.75±1.78% (M±SD), there being no significant difference between these values and values of 6.42±1.56% in 12 normal adults. Thirteen children with leukemia had a K-cell population of 2.55±1.36%, there being a significant difference (P<0.001) between these values and those of the normal children. In case of intractable recurrent leukemia, the values were significantly lower. The values of 4.55±2.48% in 13 JRA patients were not significantly different from the values of the normal children.
After the preincubation of lymphocytes in aggregated IgG or the sera of the patients with leukemia, the K-cell population significantly decreased in both media compared with the control groups.
Conclusion: There was lower K-cell population in leukemia. Further, the K-cell population significantly decreased in intractable cases. The sera of leukemic children showed a reduced K-cell population, suggesting that there is a factor which blocks the Fc-receptor of K-cell.
