Detection of CD1 positive cells in the peripheral blood of patients suffering from cancer-associated malnutrition.

The immunological phenotyping of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) was assayed in a series of 22 patients suffering from severe cancer-associated malnutrition. A marked decrease of the T-lymphocyte subsets (CD3+, CD4+, CD8+) and of the CD20+ B lymphocytes occurred; there was however an increased percentage of monocytes but their absolute number was normal. Interestingly, 5% of the PBMC expressed "activated T-cell antigens". The specificity of two different monoclonal antibodies (MoAbs) towards CD1 epitopes (OKT6 and D47) was assessed by indirect immunofluorescence (IIF): about 5% of CD1+ thymocytes were detected with no antigen (Ag) cross reactivity with the small subset of activated T cells. It is hypothesized that some relationship may exist between such cells and malnutrition and/or cancer.