title: Peripheral blood T lymphocytes subpopulations in HLA-B7 related rheumatic diseases: ankylosing spondylitis and reactive synovitis.
abstract: The etiology of B lymphocyte hyperactivity in ankylosing spondylitis (AS) and in reactive synovitis is unknown and data available on the cellular immune system are controversial. We therefore evaluated peripheral blood T cell populations in AS patients and patients with reactive synovitis (RS) using monoclonal antibodies, previously shown to react with all T cells (OKT3), the inducer-helper T cell subset (OKT4) and the suppressor-cytotoxic T cell subset (OKT8). Results were compared with a normal control group and a group of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients. In AS an increase of OKT4+ cells was found, but the total number of T helper-inducer cells in peripheral blood was not different from the normal group and the group of patients with RS. Contrary to the results found in RA, where the helper-inducer/suppressor-cytotoxic ratio (OKT4+/OKT8+) was significantly increased, the immunoregulatory ratio in AS and in RS was normal suggesting another mechanism leading to B cell hyperactivity than in RA.
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D001172:Arthritis, Rheumatoid / Q000276:immunology*; D006680:HLA Antigens / Q000032:analysis*; D015796:HLA-B27 Antigen; D006801:Humans; D007958:Leukocyte Count; D008875:Middle Aged; D013167:Spondylitis, Ankylosing / Q000276:immunology*; D013585:Synovitis / Q000276:immunology*; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000145:classification*
chemical_list: D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D006680:HLA Antigens; D015796:HLA-B27 Antigen