Histochemical evaluation of lymphocytes in hypogammaglobulinemia. Decreased number of 5'-nucleotidase-positive cells.

With the use of a histochemical technique, 5'-nucleotidase activity was examined in peripheral blood lymphocytes from patients with primary hypogammaglobulinemia. Our current study demonstrates that the decrease in 5'-nucleotidase activity in congenital agammaglobulinemia, previously demonstrated by a radiochemical assay, is associated with a reduction in the number of cells containing 5'-nucleotidase rather than with a decrease of the enzyme activity per cell. Both sheep erythrocyte rosette-forming and nonrosette-forming PBMs have reduced percentages of 5'-nucleotidase-containing cells in subjects with the enzyme deficiency. The reduced percentage of 5'-nucleotidase-containing mononuclear cells in patients with congenital agammaglobulinemia was evident in both monocyte-contaminated and monocyte-depleted cell preparations.