title: The immune system in familial Mediterranean fever.
abstract: Familial Mediterranean fever (FMF) is a genetic disorder with an obscure aetiology. In attempts to investigate a possible immunoregulatory imbalance involved in this disease we tested 24 FMF patients for suppressor T cell activity and for chemotaxis of mononuclear cells. The suppressor T cell activity and chemotaxis were decreased in untreated FMF patients as compared to colchicine treated patients or normal controls. Amyloid FMF patients manifested significantly increased chemotactic activity, while the suppressor T cell activity was normal. This finding may extend our knowledge concerning the immune mechanism involved in FMF.
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000686:Amyloidosis / Q000150:complications / Q000276:immunology; D002634:Chemotaxis, Leukocyte; D002648:Child; D003078:Colchicine / Q000627:therapeutic use; D010505:Familial Mediterranean Fever / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000276:immunology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D050378:T-Lymphocytes, Regulatory / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D003078:Colchicine