Diurnal variations in circulating leukocytes and subsets: relation to plasma cortisol and ACTH]

Surface cellular antigens of leukocytes, lymphocytes and corresponding subpopulations have been analysed by using monoclonal antibodies marked with fluorescein (PITC), parallel to those marked with phycoerythrin (PE). Cortisol and ACTH plasmatics have also been determined through RIA, on two samples at 8am. and 8pm. During this twelve hour evolution, a highly significant dependence of the leukocytes, T, T4 and T8 lymphocytes on the circulating ACTH has also been found. In general during the experiment time leukocytes, lymphocytes and subpopulations, have experimented an increase which is significantly related to the pituitary hormone secretion. The existence of this significant correlation establishes the presence of a possible mechanism that connects the cellular immunity to determined hypothalamus hormones.