No abstract

No abstract

The peripheral blood lymphocyte response of patients with ankylosing spondylitis (AS) to several polyclonal B cell activators was investigated. No differences were found in the reactivity to pokeweed mitogen and protein A between patients and controls; in contrast, the peripheral blood lymphocyte response to Staphylococcus aureus strain Cowan I (SAC) was significantly higher in patients with AS than in controls. This responsiveness was not influenced either by the presence of the HLA-B27 antigen or by environmental factors or associated diseases, and it was higher in patients with active AS than in those with inactive disease. The percentage of circulating B celis was normal. The responses to T celi mitogens and the percentages of T celi subpopulations were similar in patients and in controls. The peripheral blood lymphocyte hyperactivity of patients with AS to SAC was associated with an increased in vitro production of immunoglobulins.

No abstract

No abstract