title: Lymphocytes binding C-reactive protein during acute rheumatic fever.
abstract: Lymphocytes binding C-reactive protein (CRP) were studied in 31 patients with acute rheumatic fever and 30 controls who were children. Marked elevations in both proportions and absolute numbers of CRP-binding lymphocytes were recorded in rheumatic fever (P less than 0.001). No clear correlation was noted between plasma CRP as quantitated by radioimmunoassay and proportions or numbers of CRP-binding cells. Double-labeling experiments indicated that 60-80% of CRP-binding lymphocytes also showed Fc receptors reacting with fluorescein-conjugated IgG aggregates. Passage of lymphocytes over Ig--anti-IgG columns, removed cells bearing surface Ig but not CRP-binding lymphocytes. Studies of T-cell subpopulations indicated no overlap between Tmicron- and CRP-binding cells; however about half of Tgamma-cells showed concurrent CRP binding. "Active" T-cell rosetting cells did not bind CRP. A 12-15-h incubation of lymphocytes at 37 degrees C in 5% CO2-air showed persistence of CRP binding in substantial proportions of cells particularly in acute rheumatic fever. CRP-binding lymphocytes may represent a marker for immunologically committed cells in acute rheumatic fever.
mesh_terms: D000208:Acute Disease; D000293:Adolescent; D001665:Binding Sites; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000378:metabolism*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D002819:Chorea / Q000276:immunology; D005260:Female; D006331:Heart Diseases / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D007141:Immunoglobulin Fc Fragments; D008214:Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D011485:Protein Binding; D011947:Receptors, Antigen, B-Cell / Q000378:metabolism; D012213:Rheumatic Fever / Q000276:immunology*; D012397:Rosette Formation
chemical_list: D007141:Immunoglobulin Fc Fragments; D011947:Receptors, Antigen, B-Cell; D002097:C-Reactive Protein