Immunodeficiency associated with loss of T4+ inducer T-cell function.
We investigated the immune function of a patient with anergy and acquired hypogammaglobulinemia. Despite normal numbers of B cells and T4+ inducer and T5+ suppressor T cells, this patient's lymphocytes did not produce immunoglobulin, proliferate in response to soluble antigens, or generate helper factors in vitro. In addition, her T4+ T cells did not express la molecules after stimulation by soluble antigen. In mixing experiments, her T cells did not induce immunoglobulin secretion by B cells from a normal, HLA-D-identical sibling; this failure was not due to excessive suppression, since the patient's T cells did not abrogate immunoglobulin production by the normal sibling's T and B cells. Moreover, the patient's B cells secreted immunoglobulin in the presence of the sibling's T4+ cells. In contrast to the deficient inducer cells, the patient's T5+ T cells were capable of expressing suppressor-cell functions. These results indicate that immunodeficiency may occur because of a selective loss of T4+ inducer function.
D000361:Agammaglobulinemia / Q000276:immunology; D000917:Antibody Formation; D002648:Child; D003208:Concanavalin A / Q000494:pharmacology; D005260:Female; D000949:Histocompatibility Antigens Class II / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D007153:Immunologic Deficiency Syndromes / Q000276:immunology*; D007519:Isoantigens / Q000276:immunology; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation; D007959:Lymphocyte Culture Test, Mixed; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*
D000949:Histocompatibility Antigens Class II; D007519:Isoantigens; D003208:Concanavalin A