AIDS-like disproportion of minor T-cell subsets in Japanese patients with Wegener's granulomatosis.
Fifteen Japanese patients with Wegener's granulomatosis (WG) were evaluated according to their lymphocyte subset abnormalities. Two colour immunofluorescent flow cytometry was used to distinguish the lymphocyte subset alterations. WG group showed a decrease in the percentage of CD4+ cells and the increase of CD8+ cells. Within the NK cell family, the functionally unidentified CD8+57+ cells were markedly elevated. The disproportion of the lymphocyte subsets (CD4+ decreases CD8+57+ increases) were similar to those of Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS) and AIDS relating complexes (ARC). To assess silent infection of Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was done for all patients to selectively amplify specific HIV proviral DNA sequences in peripheral blood mononuclear cells, HIV-1 proviral DNA was not found in any patients but these changes of WG might suggest a possible adaptive response to unknown viral infection.
Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, National Defense Medical College, Saitama, Japan.
M
M
Ikeda
Y
Y
Katsura
S
S
Tsuru
T
T
Inouye
G B
GB
Healy
D000386:AIDS-Related Complex / Q000276:immunology; D000163:Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D000328:Adult; D015703:Antigens, CD / Q000276:immunology; D000945:Antigens, Differentiation, T-Lymphocyte / Q000276:immunology; D015704:CD4 Antigens / Q000276:immunology; D018959:CD57 Antigens; D016827:CD8 Antigens / Q000276:immunology; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000032:analysis; D005260:Female; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D014890:Granulomatosis with Polyangiitis / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D016176:T-Lymphocyte Subsets / Q000276:immunology*
D015703:Antigens, CD; D000945:Antigens, Differentiation, T-Lymphocyte; D015704:CD4 Antigens; D018959:CD57 Antigens; D016827:CD8 Antigens; D004279:DNA, Viral