The present study was undertaken to enumerate the proportion and absolute number of various lymphocyte subsets in the peripheral blood of 119 normal healthy adults using combination of monoclonal antibodies and two color flow cytometry.
The results obtained were as follows:
1) The proportion and absolute number of pan T cells (Leu 4
+) was significantly lower in the eldest group more than 70years of age. The proportion but not the absolute number of helper T cells (Leu3
+8
-) was significantly higher in the age groups over 50, whereas the absolute number of inducer T cells (Leu3
+8
+) was lower in the eldest group. The absolute number of suppressor/cytotoxic T cells (Leu2
+) was significantly lower in the eldest group. However the proportion and absolute number of suppressor T cells (Leu2
+15
+) was not influenced by age. The ratio of T4/T8 (Leu3/Lou2) cells tends to increase with age.
2) The proportion and absolute number of B cells (Leu 4-DR
+) was not influenced by age.
3) Among the natural killer cell subsets, the proportions but not the absolute numbers of Lou7
+ cells and Leu11
+ cells were significantly higher in the eldest group. The proportion and the absolute number of Lou 11
+7
- cells was not influenced by age, whereas both values of Lou 11
+7
+ cells were significantly higher in the eldest group. The proportion and absolute number of Lou 11
-7
+ cells was clearly lower in the youngest group. The absolute number of Lou 7
+2
+ cells was also lower in the youngest group.
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