Variations in interferon production by lymphocytes from patients with chronic lymphatic leukaemia.

In a group of patients with chronic lymphatic leukaemia leucocyte cultures showed a diminished capacity to synthesize interferon when compared with controls. The leucocyte culture with the lowest capacity to synthesize interferon came from the patients with the highest peripheral blood lymphocyte counts and vice versa. These results are presented as indirect evidence that T lymphocytes are more competent producers of interferon than B lymphocytes.