PERIPHERAL-BLOOD LYMPHOCYTE SUBSETS AFTER ALLOGENEIC BONE-MARROW TRANSPLANTATION - RECONSTITUTION AND CORRELATION WITH THE OCCURRENCE OF ACUTE GRAFT-VERSUS-HOST DISEASE

Peripheral blood lymphocyte subsets were enumerated at regular interva ls during the first year after allogeneic bone marrow transplantation( BMT) in 21 Chinese patients. Eight of these patients had acute graft- versus-host disease (GVHD) while they were assessed at the time of eng raftment. Our results show in patients receiving allogeneic BMT: (1) T and NK cells were the predominant lymphocyte subsets in the early rec onstitution stage while B cells were severely depleted; (2) absolute n umbers of the major lymphocyte subsets normalised in 4-5 months; (3) a n increased percentage of T cells that expressed the activation antige n HLA-DR and a reversed CD4:CD8 ratio were observed throughout the fir st 12 months after BMT; (4) patients with acute GVHD had significantly higher white cell count and NK cell percentage than those not complic ated by acute GVHD.