title: Immunological features of psoriasis. Effects of Ro-109359, concanavalin A, pokeweed mitogen, and methotrexate on cultivated lymphocytes.
abstract: Isolated peripheral mononuclear cells of psoriasis patients with different disease characteristics, e. g. head-localised, quiescent guttata, confluent active widespread and erythrodermic, were cultured in a modified Mishell-Dutton system. Using the plaque-forming cell (PFC) assay, single cell antibody formation was studied, and class distribution monitored, adding pokeweed mitogen (PWM), concanavalin A (ConA), methotrexate (MTX) or Ro-109359/31, as well as autologous sera to the culture. PFC-estimation vs. sheep red blood cells (SRBC) and burro red blood cells (BRBC) revealed a distinct suppression of primarily IgG-PFC in some of the PWM-treated patients' cultures; ConA maximally reduced PFC by only 50%, compared to 100% for normal immune cells. Ro-109359/31 reduced mainly IgG-PFC in the co-cultures with PWM or autologous sera. MTX resulted in a reduction of IgG-PFC and IgM-PFC equally. The results were compared with cultured immune cells from normal individuals. The two antigenically different indicators, the partial abolition of ConA induced suppression, broad-based immunoglobulin elevation in the sera, and the mainly IgG-formation hint at the role of polyclonal B-cell activation in the perpetuation of psoriasis, which can be specifically reduced by Ro-109359/31. Suppressor cell dysfunctions remain to be discussed.
mesh_terms: D000917:Antibody Formation / Q000187:drug effects; D003208:Concanavalin A / Q000276:immunology*; D005050:Etretinate / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000096:biosynthesis; D007075:Immunoglobulin M / Q000096:biosynthesis; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation / Q000187:drug effects*; D008214:Lymphocytes / Q000187:drug effects; D008727:Methotrexate / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D011043:Pokeweed Mitogens / Q000276:immunology*; D011565:Psoriasis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000276:immunology*; D014212:Tretinoin / Q000031:analogs & derivatives*
chemical_list: D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D007075:Immunoglobulin M; D011043:Pokeweed Mitogens; D003208:Concanavalin A; D014212:Tretinoin; D005050:Etretinate; D008727:Methotrexate