Immunobiology of primary intracranial tumours. II. Analysis of lymphocyte subpopulations in patients with primary brain tumours.

Circulating peripheral blood lymphocyte subpopulations were analysed in patients with primary intracranial neoplasia. Patients with tumours of glial origin demonstrated a significant depletion of E-rosetting lymphocytes whereas the quantitative lymphocyte profiles of patients with non-glial brain tumours were normal. The number of immunoglobulin and Fe receptor-bearing cells was not significantly altered in any group of patients: however, the EAC-RFC subpopulation was increased in those with malignant gliomas. Two hypotheses are suggested to explain these observations: first, the presence of cross-reacting antibody between T cells and brain (glial) cells, and secondly, the proliferation of EAC-RFC in response to malignant degeneration.