title: In vitro TNP-specific antibody formation by peripheral lymphocytes from patients with systemic lupus erythematosus.
abstract: Immunological reactivity in patients with systemic lupus erythermatosus (SLE) was assessed by investigating in vitro trinitrophenyl (TNP)-specific antibody formation by peripheral lymphocytes. Peripheral lymphocytes from 16 patients with SLE were cultured with TNP conjugated with horse erythrocytes (TNP-HRBC) in the presence of 2-mercaptoethanol. The hemolytic plaque assay was used to detect hapten (TNP)-specific antibody-forming cells. Peripheral lymphocytes from normal individuals failed to produce antibody to TNP, whereas SLE lymphocytes produced a significant number of plaque-forming cells. Co-culture experiments with SLE and normal lymphocytes suggested that patients with SLE have a defect in T lymphocytes, leading to abnormal antibody production.
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000917:Antibody Formation; D000918:Antibody Specificity; D000921:Antibody-Producing Cells; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D006241:Haptens; D006462:Hemolytic Plaque Technique; D006801:Humans; D008180:Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic / Q000276:immunology*; D008214:Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*; D009578:Nitrobenzenes / Q000276:immunology*; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology; D014301:Trinitrobenzenes / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D006241:Haptens; D009578:Nitrobenzenes; D014301:Trinitrobenzenes