Distribution of peripheral blood T and B lymphocyte markers in atopic children and changes during immunotherapy.

Peripheral blood lymphocytes from children undergoing evaluation for allergic disease were examined for T and B lymphocyte markers. Patients were evaluated at intervals to determine differences in these markers between atopic and nonatopic children and relative changes during immunotherapy. T lymphocytes were identified by the sheep RBC rosette technique. Surface immunoglobulin was detected by immunofluorescence following incubation with fluorescein-labeled antihuman IgG, IgA, IgM, and IgE. At initial examination, atopic patients differed from controls only in the increased percentage of lymphocytes bearing surface IgM. There were no differences between patient and control values in T lymphocyte distribution or in cells bearing surface IgG, IgA, or IgE at any point in the study. The increased percentage of IgM-bearing lymphocytes is reduced to the control level after four months of immunotherapy but remains elevated in the untreated atopic group. Serum IgM levels remained constant. This study shows that the distribution of lymphocyte markers may be altered in atopic children. Patients treated with immunotherapy demonstrated a return to control values of IgM-bearing lymphocytes. The elevated serum IgE seen in atopy was not reflected in an elevated percentage of IgE-bearing lymphocytes.