Defective proliferative response of T lymphocytes from patients with inactive systemic lupus erythematosus.
OBJECTIVE
To further define the pattern of alterations in the activation and apoptosis of T lymphocytes in patients with inactive systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) through analysis of a large series of individuals.


METHODS
We isolated CD2+ peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBL) from 41 patients with inactive SLE and analyzed their proliferative and apoptotic responses to polyclonal activation.


RESULTS
In 19 of 41 (47%) patients, a low proliferative response to polyclonal mitogens was found. This defective response was inversely associated with an increased apoptotic response and increased expression of CD95 and CD45RO antigens.


CONCLUSIONS
We found that 2 groups of patients with inactive disease can be defined according to the functional behavior of their T lymphocytes, as defined by the proliferative and apoptotic responses to mitogenic signals.
Laboratory of Clinical Immunology, University Hospital Principe de Asturias, Madrid, Spain.
M P
MP
Hernández-Fuentes
E
E
Reyes
A
A
Prieto
A
A
Zea
L
L
Villa
A
A
Sánchez-Atrio
F
F
Esquivel
M
M
Alvarez-Mon
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D017209:Apoptosis; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008180:Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008934:Mitogens / Q000494:pharmacology; D016176:T-Lymphocyte Subsets / Q000276:immunology; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology / Q000502:physiology; D019014:fas Receptor / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000276:immunology
D008934:Mitogens; D019014:fas Receptor