Diminished response to an inhibitory signal in lymphocytes from patients with systemic lupus erythematosus.
Systemic lupus erythematosus is an autoimmune disease characterized by B-cell hyperactivity, resulting in polyclonal hypergammaglobulinaemia. One mechanism potentially resulting in excessive immunoglobulin synthesis is a diminished response to inhibitory signals. To test this hypothesis, anti-IgG antisera was used to inhibit pokeweed mitogen activation of cultured lymphocytes from lupus patients and controls. Inhibition of IgG secretion by B cells from lupus patients required more than 75 times as much anti-IgG as normal controls (P less than 0.005), indicating that lupus lymphocytes are hyporesponsive to this inhibitory signal. Similar studies with DR3+ controls demonstrated that diminished responsiveness to anti-IgG inhibition may in part be associated with the HLA-DR3 allele. Defects in this inhibitory mechanism may play a role in the B-cell hyperactivity observed in lupus.
Salata
M
M
Department of Internal Medicine, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor.
Golbus
J
J
Richardson
B C
BC
D000888:Antibodies, Anti-Idiotypic / Q000276:immunology*; D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D003602:Cytotoxicity, Immunologic; D004306:Dose-Response Relationship, Immunologic; D006801:Humans; D007140:Immunoglobulin Fab Fragments / Q000276:immunology; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000096:biosynthesis; D007075:Immunoglobulin M / Q000096:biosynthesis; D007958:Leukocyte Count; D008180:Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic / Q000276:immunology*; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation; D011043:Pokeweed Mitogens / Q000494:pharmacology
D000888:Antibodies, Anti-Idiotypic; D007140:Immunoglobulin Fab Fragments; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D007075:Immunoglobulin M; D011043:Pokeweed Mitogens