CYCLIC VARIATIONS IN WHITE CELL SUB-POPULATIONS IN THE HUMAN MENSTRUAL-CYCLE - CORRELATIONS WITH PROGESTERONE AND ESTRADIOL

Cyclic variations in white cell subpopulations were studied in serial blood samples from 18 female volunteers (14 ovulatory and 4 nonovulatory cycles) and 2 males. Total white blood cells (WBC), lymphocytes, total and active T cells (TEt, TEa), monocytes, and granulocytes were counted, and levels of estradiol (E2), progesterone, and luteinizing hormone (LH) were measured. In the ovulatory cycles, lymphocyte counts at midcycle (Day 0) reached a minimum, coinciding with the maximum level of E2 peak (35 ng%). In daily samples, the minimum lymphocyte counts coincided with the preovulatory E2 surge (P < 0.01). Similar but less significant negative correlations (P < 0.05) were found between E2, WBC, and TEt. In contrast, TEa did not show cyclic variations. Monocyte and granulocyte counts were significantly higher in the luteal than in the follicular phase (P < 0.05); their pattern followed closely that of progesterone (P < 0.05) but not of E2. Daily evaluations of hematocrit, hemoglobin content, red blood cell count, and mean corpuscular volume failed to show cyclic variations. For the females with nonovulatory cycles and for the males studied (with sex steroid profiles corresponding to the follicular phase), no cyclic variations were found in white cell subpopulations. © 1979.