CD30 expression on human CD8+ T cells isolated from peripheral blood lymphocytes of normal donors.

By direct or indirect immunofluorescence using FITC as a fluorochrome, 0 to 2% of the T cells isolated from peripheral blood of normal healthy individuals was found to be CD30+. Using indirect immunofluorescence and phycoerythrin-labeled Ab, higher percentages of CD30+ T cells (3-31%) were repeatedly found in the peripheral blood of normal healthy donors. The majority (85-90%) of CD30+ T cells obtained from PBLs of normal healthy donors were found in the CD8+ cell population. Following FACS sorting of the T cell populations into CD30+ and CD30- subpopulations, approximately 85 to 90% CD30+ T cells were CD8+, whereas the CD30- T cells were CD4+. Upon activation, the sorted CD30+ T cells produced both IFN-gamma and IL-4. In contrast to previous reports, these results demonstrate that CD30+CD8+ T cells are present in significant numbers in the PBLs of normal healthy individuals.