Study of lymphocyte subpopulations in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus. In vitro effect of levamisole on T-lymphocyte population.
Peripheral blood lymphocytes and the "in vitro' changes of the T-cell count after levamisole treatment were studied in twenty-two patients with systemic lupus erythematosus and in eighteen normal controls using E-rosette assay to quantify T-cells and EAC-assay to quantify B-lymphocytes. T-cell count was significantly lower in the patient group compared with the control group. B-cell numbers did not change significantly. The decrease of the T-cell count was accompanied by an increase of the null-cell number in patient groups. The levamisole treatment "in vitro' produced an increase in the active-T and total T-lymphocyte counts and led to the decrease of null-cell numbers. These data confirm the available evidence that levamisole "in vitro' may induce the maturation of immature T-lymphocytes in SLE.
D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007111:Immunity, Cellular / Q000187:drug effects; D007958:Leukocyte Count; D007978:Levamisole / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008180:Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000276:immunology*; D008297:Male; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000187:drug effects*
D007978:Levamisole