CD4 LYMPHOCYTE SUBSET ABNORMALITIES ASSOCIATED WITH IMPAIRED DELAYED CUTANEOUS HYPERSENSITIVITY REACTIONS IN PATIENTS WITH X-LINKED AGAMMAGLOBULINEMIA

Circulating CD4 lymphocyte subset (CD45RA; CD45RO; CD29; Leu8) levels were determined in nine patients with X-linked agammaglobulinaemia (XL A), nine patients with common variable immunodeficiency (CVI) and in 1 8 age- and sex-matched controls. CD4CD45RO and CD4CD29 cells were sign ificantly lower (P < 0.01) in the XLA patient group (CD45RO, 15.7 +/- 10.2%; CD4CD29, 32.1 +/- 14.6%) compared with CVI patients (61.8 +/- 2 5.4%; 60.1 +/- 11.2%) and normal controls (43.7 +/- 22.3%, 54.5 +/- 22 .0%). The levels of CD4CD45RA and CD4Leu8 cells were not abnormal in t he XLA patient group. No selective reduction in CD4 subsets was observ ed in the CVI patient group. Delayed cutaneous hypersensitivity testin g of five XLA and five CVI patients revealed a significantly reduced r esponse to recall antigens in patients with XLA. This may relate to th e deficiency of circulating memory T cells observed in these patients.