title: Mononuclear cells in sickle cell disease: subpopulations and in vitro response to mitogens.
abstract: The subpopulations of mononuclear cells and the lymphocyte proliferative capacity following mitogen stimulation were studied in 22 patients with homozygous sickle cell (SS) disease and 25 controls with a normal haemoglobin (AA) genotype. The total number of lymphocytes in peripheral blood samples was higher in SS patients compared to controls. Expressed as a percentage of total lymphocytes, the number of B lymphocytes (detected by membrane immunoglobulin fluorescence) was normal and of T lymphocytes (identified by sheep erythrocyte rosetting) was slightly reduced in SS disease. Expressed in absolute numbers, both B and T lymphocytes were increased. Lymphocyte proliferation measured by tritium labelled thymidine incorporation following stimulation with phytohemagglutinin A, and concanavalin A was normal. Following pokeweed mitogen stimulation, thymidine incorporation was significantly increased in SS disease although normal when expressed as a stimulation index. These results do not suggest a major defect in cell mediated immunity in sickle cell disease. The number of circulating monocytes was increased in SS disease and correlated inversely with the number of reticulocytes (r = -0.58, p less than 0.005).
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000755:Anemia, Sickle Cell / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology*; D001402:B-Lymphocytes; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D007958:Leukocyte Count; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008934:Mitogens / Q000494:pharmacology; D009000:Monocytes; D012156:Reticulocytes; D013601:T-Lymphocytes
chemical_list: D008934:Mitogens