Direct demonstration of immunoregulatory T-cell defects in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus.
The present study was undertaken to determine directly whether immunoregulatory T cells have a defective suppressor function in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), and whether anti-T-cell antibodies are essential for immunoregulatory T-cell defects. Peripheral blood T cells and T-cell subsets were determined in 52 SLE patients. The ratio of T4 to T8 cells was distributed over a wider range in patients with SLE than in the controls. Patients with SLE were divided into three groups (low, normal and high) by the T4/T8 ratio. Lymphocytes from 12 SLE patients (7 with low and 5 with high T4/T8 ratios) were studied extensively. Their disease was inactive or in remission. Anti-T-cell antibodies were not detected, and yet the patients had immunological abnormalities characterized by the presence of antinuclear antibodies and hypergammaglobulinaemia. The SLE patients with high T4/T8 ratios had a decreased number of T8 cells, and defective suppressor-effector cells. In contrast, patients with low T4/T8 ratios had decreased T4 cells and/or increased T8 cells, and defective suppressor-inducer cells. Two patients with low T4/T8 ratios had both suppressor-effector and suppressor-inducer cell defects. These results indicate that immunoregulatory circuits in SLE patients are heterogeneous and that immunoregulatory defects exist even when the disease is inactive or in remission. Anti-T-cell antibodies were not essential for such immunoregulatory defects. Thus, immunoregulatory T-cell defects and the development of SLE may be independent conditions due to other unknown causes.
D000328:Adult; D000945:Antigens, Differentiation, T-Lymphocyte; D000954:Antigens, Surface / Q000032:analysis; D001171:Arthritis, Juvenile / Q000276:immunology; D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology; D003093:Colitis, Ulcerative / Q000276:immunology; D003602:Cytotoxicity, Immunologic; D004306:Dose-Response Relationship, Immunologic; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000096:biosynthesis; D007518:Isoantibodies / Q000276:immunology; D008180:Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic / Q000276:immunology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011043:Pokeweed Mitogens / Q000494:pharmacology; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000145:classification / Q000276:immunology*; D050378:T-Lymphocytes, Regulatory / Q000276:immunology; D014965:X-Rays
D000945:Antigens, Differentiation, T-Lymphocyte; D000954:Antigens, Surface; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D007518:Isoantibodies; D011043:Pokeweed Mitogens