Circulating and tumor-infiltrating gamma delta T cells in patients with B-cell lymphomas

In order to analyze the involvement of gamma delta T cells in the immune su rveillance against B cell lymphomas (BCL). we investigated the proportion o f circulating gamma delta T cells in 52 BCL patients using two-color flow c ytometry, together with tumor-infiltrating gamma delta T cells in 22 of tho se patients. We found that the proportion of tumor-infiltrating gamma delta T cells in BCL patients was not different from that of lymph node gamma de lta T cells in reactive hyperplasia patients. However, a decreased percenta ge of circulating gamma delta T cells were observed in indolent lymphoma (I L) and limited aggressive lymphoma (AL) patients when compared with normal controls. In contrast, as a result of a histogram, advanced AL patients wer e divided into two subgroups: the patients with increased circulating gamma delta T cells and those without any increase. However, there was no differ ence in the clinical features of between the two AL subgroups.