Tγ cells in systemic lupus erythematosus

Abstract

Circulating T cells bearing receptors for the Fc portion of IgC (T,) were identified by sensitive immunofluorescent techniques with rabbit IgG b4 allotype/antib4 complexes. A twofold decrease in both proportion and absolute number of T, cells was found in patients with active systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) relative to values obtained during disease remission. The reduction in T, cells was most evident in patients with severe hypocomplementemia. A deficit of T, cells in active patients was not demonstrated. that was not apparent in regression analyses performed against other lymphocyte subpopulations. Such differences were not found for B cells and IgC receptor-bearing non-B/nod-T cells which were present in normal proportions in virtually all patients. The origin and functional significance of these unusual lymphocyte subpopulation abnormalities are discussed.A prominent area encompassing recent investigation into the bases for disordered immune regulation in systemic lupus erythematosus is the descriptive study of lymphocytes in peripheral blood using various surface marker techniques. It has been assumed that information of this nature will reflect functional immunologic abnormalities in the disease. Until very recently, unrecognized interference by factors carried over from patient plasma during lymphocyte isolation, and the limited capacity of marker techniques to resolve functionally discrete lymphocyte subpopulations have impeded progress toward this goal.The objective of the present study is to define further the nature of T lymphopenia in SLE. Antecedents include: 1) recognition that a T cell subset with receptors for the Fc portion of IgG (T,) may play a role in negative regulation of the immune response (l), and 2) development in this laboratory of a sensitive immunofluorescent technique for identification and quantitation of such cells using rabbit IgG b4/anti-b4 complexes (2).

Tγ lymphocytes of peripheral blood and synovial fluid in rheumatoid arthritis

“…In the last few years, the distribution pattern of these T lymphocyte subsets in various immunologically mediated diseases has been determined in some studies, unbalanced proportions of T cell subpopulations have been reported (3)(4)(5)(6)(7). For example, in rheumatoid arthritis (RA), Biberfield et a1 (8) detected an unbalanced TJ T, ratio in synovial fluid, while normal or increased T, cells were found in peripheral blood (PB) of patients compared to controls.…”