Altered lymphocyte reactivity in rheumatoid arthritis.
Blastogenic transformation of peripheral lymphocytes with phytohemagglutinin (PHA), conconavalin A (Con A), and pokeweed mitogen (PWM) was studied in 29 patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). The PHA response was depressed in a subgroup of RA patients with erosive disease. The Con A response was also depressed and paralleled the PHA response. The PWM response was not depressed. These results lend support to the hypothesis of a functional defect of cellular immunity in RA. It was shown that lymphocyte responsiveness to a single mitogen concentration is not an adequate assessment of the overall responsiveness of the lymphocytes tested.
D000328:Adult; D000974:Antibodies, Antinuclear / Q000032:analysis; D001172:Arthritis, Rheumatoid / Q000276:immunology*; D003208:Concanavalin A / Q000494:pharmacology; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D006801:Humans; D037102:Lectins / Q000494:pharmacology; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation / Q000187:drug effects; D008214:Lymphocytes / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D012044:Regression Analysis; D014376:Tuberculosis / Q000276:immunology
D000974:Antibodies, Antinuclear; D037102:Lectins; D003208:Concanavalin A