title: Impaired proliferative response to concanavalin A in patients with rheumatoid arthritis: a consequence of drug-induced T-lymphocyte damage.
abstract: The proliferation of peripheral mononuclear cells in response to pokeweed mitogen (PWM) and concanavalin A (Con A) was studied in rheumatoid arthritis (RA). In order to discover possible defects in either of the cell types involved, enriched T-cells from RA patients and healthy controls were stimulated in cultures reconstituted with purified autologous or allogeneic monocytes. A diminished response to Con A but not to PWM was observed. Whereas RA monocytes were shown to exhibit intact accessory functions, the reduction in response to Con A had to be attributed to an impaired proliferative capacity of the patients' T-cells. This defect was shown as unlikely to be related to the disease itself, but rather to be caused by therapies involving corticosteroids and immunosuppressive drugs.
mesh_terms: D000305:Adrenal Cortex Hormones / Q000494:pharmacology; D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal / Q000494:pharmacology; D001172:Arthritis, Rheumatoid / Q000276:immunology*; D003208:Concanavalin A / Q000494:pharmacology; D006801:Humans; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation / Q000187:drug effects; D009000:Monocytes / Q000276:immunology; D011043:Pokeweed Mitogens / Q000494:pharmacology; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D000305:Adrenal Cortex Hormones; D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents; D011043:Pokeweed Mitogens; D003208:Concanavalin A