title: Estimation of T- and K-cell activity in the peripheral blood of sarcoidosis patients.
abstract: Depressed ADCC activity was found in sarcoidosis patients in clinical Stage II when whole blood was used as the effector cell pool. Whole blood in Stage I patients as well as purified peripheral lymphocytes of sarcoidosis patients did not reveal a diminished cytotoxic activity. Stimulation experiments with PHA, Con A, and PPD in two different concentrations resulted in a normal PHA response, a significantly decreased Con A response (regardless of the clinical stage of the patients), and a significantly decreased PPD responsiveness of peripheral lymphocytes in Stage II patients, respectively. Regarding the distribution of peripheral B and T lymphocytes, only a significantly depressed T-cell number in Stage I sarcoidosis patients was observed. Peripheral cells forming EA and EAC rosettes and staining for membrane-bound immunoglobulins were within normal ranges. Serum antibody titers to different herpes viruses, including Epstein-Barr virus, were found not to be elevated. Twenty percent of sarcoidosis patients showed anti-immunoglobulins in their sera specific for the Fc and Fab fragment.
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000032:analysis; D000937:Antigen-Antibody Reactions; D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*; D003208:Concanavalin A / Q000494:pharmacology; D003601:Cytotoxicity Tests, Immunologic; D006564:Herpesviridae / Q000276:immunology; D004854:Herpesvirus 4, Human / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D007140:Immunoglobulin Fab Fragments; D007141:Immunoglobulin Fc Fragments; D037102:Lectins / Q000494:pharmacology; D008171:Lung Diseases / Q000276:immunology; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation; D012507:Sarcoidosis / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*; D014373:Tuberculin / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D000914:Antibodies, Viral; D007140:Immunoglobulin Fab Fragments; D007141:Immunoglobulin Fc Fragments; D037102:Lectins; D014373:Tuberculin; D003208:Concanavalin A