Increased proliferation of T lymphocytes in the blood of patients with Hodgkin's disease.

We investigated the number of DNA-synthesizing T lymphocytes in the blood of patients with Hodgkin's disease, with infectious mononucleosis and in normal controls. T cells were characterized by their ability to form rosettes with unsensitized neuramidase-treated sheep red blood cells. Cells in DNA synthesis were evaluated autoradiographically after in vitro incubation with [3H]thymidine. Our results indicated a preferential proliferation of T lymphocytes in the blood of patients with Hodgkin's disease and infectious mononucleosis and suggested an increased turnover of these cells.