title: Depressed T cell colony growth in systemic lupus erythematosus.
abstract: Phytohemagglutinin-stimulated peripheral blood T lymphocytes, plated in agar, are capable of forming discrete lymphoid colonies. In 35 normal subjects, the average number of colonies was 6,020 +/- 351 (SEM). By contrast, in 39 patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), the mean colony number was 2,774 +/- 384, a value significantly less than controls (P less than 0.001). Normal responses were measured in 5 patients with progressive systemic sclerosis and in 7 of 8 patients with rheumatoid arthritis. Colony growth in SLE showed a strong correlation with disease activity but did not correlate with responses of blood lymphocytes to phytohemagglutinin in suspension cultures, the number of circulating T cells, or serologic abnormalities.
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001172:Arthritis, Rheumatoid / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000276:immunology; D003114:Colony-Forming Units Assay; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008180:Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000276:immunology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D008875:Middle Aged; D010835:Phytohemagglutinins / Q000494:pharmacology; D011241:Prednisone / Q000627:therapeutic use; D012595:Scleroderma, Systemic / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000276:immunology / Q000503:physiopathology; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D010835:Phytohemagglutinins; D011241:Prednisone