title: Pediatric acquired immunodeficiency syndrome: demonstration of B lymphocyte defects in vitro.
abstract: Acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) in childhood is characterized by recurrent bacterial infections, a feature common in antibody deficiency disorders. The present study was aimed at investigating B lymphocyte function in 15 children aged 6 months to 6 years with AIDS or AIDS-related complex (ARC). Spontaneous secretion of immunoglobulins by freshly isolated peripheral blood B cells and the generation of immunoglobulin and antibody-secreting cells in lymphocyte cultures after polyclonal and antigenic stimulation were quantified in hemolytic plaque assays. Despite excessive spontaneous immunoglobulin secretion, responses elicited by B cells after in vitro stimulation were depressed in these children. Responses to T-dependent as well as to T-independent stimuli were affected. Studies of immunoregulatory T cells and intrinsic B cell function suggested that deficient precursor B cells and abnormal immunoregulation contributed to the defects in B cell differentiation. These findings indicate that B lymphocyte dysfunction is an integral feature of HTLV III infection in children who clinically present as either AIDS or AIDS-related complex.
mesh_terms: D000163:Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome / Q000276:immunology*; D000921:Antibody-Producing Cells / Q000276:immunology; D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007156:Immunologic Memory; D007223:Infant; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation; D008297:Male; D008934:Mitogens / Q000494:pharmacology; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D008934:Mitogens