Detection, isolation and functional studies of CD25+ T cells in lymph nodes involved by B-cell non-Hodgkin's lymphomas.

We searched for the presence of IL2 receptor (CD25) on T cells as an activation marker in lymph nodes involved by B-cell non-Hodgkin's lymphomas (B-NHL). In 26 malignant lymph nodes studied, the number of CD25+ T cells among total T cells was usually low when assessed by immunofluorescence analysis (mean +/- SD: 6.7% +/- 11.2%), but greatly increased when an immunomagnetic rosette method was used (mean +/- SD: 17.5% +/- 16.6%). In six cases, CD25-/CD25/CD25+ cells were isolated by immunomagnetic separation, with a purity greater than 97% for both populations. Expansion of CD25-/CD25+ T cells was obtained with IL2 and PHA, then conditioned media (CM) were prepared. No IL2 activity was found in CM from both CD25-/CD25+ T cells when tested on CTLL2 cells. BCGF and BCDF mu/gamma activities were assayed on normal B cells stimulated with soluble or insolubilized anti-mu antibodies(BCGF) or with Cowan I (BCDF). Results of production of all these activities were comparable for both populations, and thus do not favour the possibility that CD25+ T cells closely associated with malignant B-NHL cells in lymph nodes may influence their proliferation (BCGF) or expression/secretion of heavy chain isotype (BCDF mu/gamma).