Lymphocyte subpopulations in peripheral blood in primary sclerosing cholangitis.
OBJECTIVE
Primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC) is a chronic disease of autoimmunological etiology, leading to inflammation, destruction and atrophy of the bile ducts. The aim of the study was to determine peripheral lymphocyte B, T, and NK cells in PSC.


METHODS
The estimation of peripheral blood lymphocytes in 17 patients (54+/-12 years old) with PSC was carried out; the control group consisted of 27 subjects (38+/-11 years). The following T lymphocyte subpopulations were determined using duo color flow cytometry: CD3+, CD4+, CD8+, CD3++HLA DR+, B cells CD19+, and NK cells CD16+ +CD56+.


RESULTS
In PSC we observed doubled increase in activated T lymphocytes of CD3+ +HLA DR+ phenotype as compared to healthy subjects (7.9% vs. 2.7%, p<0.01) and NK cells (12.6% vs. 10.3%, respectively, p<0.05). There were no significant differences in the composition of CD3+, CD4+, and CD8+. In peripheral blood we noted, in patients with PSC, a decrease in B lymphocytes (11.2% vs. 12.3%, p<0.19).


CONCLUSIONS
The examinations showed that activated T (HLA DR+) lymphocytes and NK cells played an important role in development of PSC.
Panasiuk
Anatol
A
Department of Infectious Diseases, Medical Academy of Bialystok, Poland. apanasiuk@wp.pl
Prokopowicz
Danuta
D
Zak
Janusz
J
Panasiuk
Bozena
B
Wysocka
Jolanta
J
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D016175:B-Lymphocyte Subsets / Q000276:immunology*; D015209:Cholangitis, Sclerosing / Q000276:immunology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007694:Killer Cells, Natural / Q000276:immunology*; D018655:Lymphocyte Count; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012016:Reference Values; D016176:T-Lymphocyte Subsets / Q000276:immunology*