Suppressor T cell chronic lymphocytic leukaemia associated with red cell hypoplasia.

A case of T cell chronic lymphocytic leukaemia (CLL) with red cell hypoplasia and neutropenia is reported. WBC was 10.0 X 10(9)/l with 78% being T lymphocytes. These T lymphocytes were positive for Fc gamma receptor and had OKT8 and Leu 2a antigens on the cell surfaces. They suppressed both erythroid and granulocyte-macrophage colony formation in normal bone marrow cultures and suppressed immunoglobulin production by normal B lymphocytes in vitro. Though the myeloid cells were preserved in the bone marrow and the values of serum immunoglobulins were within normal limits, it can be estimated from these results that red cell hypoplasia and neutropenia were partially due to the suppression of haemopoietic precursor cells by leukaemic T lymphocytes.