Suppressor cell function is preserved in pemphigus and pemphigoid
Human peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBL) are activated to become suppressor T cells (S-T-C) by incubation with Concanavalin-A (Con-A). This has become the standard method for evaluation of suppressor function in patients. S-T-C function has been found to be impaired in several autoimmune diseases, including systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). Using this assay, we have investigated suppressor-cell function in 2 autoimmune disorders, bullous pemphigoid (BP) and pemphigus vulgaris (PV), studying 6 patients from each group. Three patients with active SLE (positive controls), and 11 normal donors (negative controls) were also included. None of these patients had received systemic therapy with the exception of 2 patients with PV who were treated with gold in the past. PBL from these patients were incubated with and without 40 micrograms/ml Con-A for 72 hr to generate suppressor cells. Both groups of PBL were then irradiated wih 1500 r cobalt. Co-cultures were set up in sextuplicate using normal PBL as responders. Responder PBL were stimulated with 0.5, 1.0, and 2.0 micrograms/ml of phytohemagglutin (PHA) and 5.0, 10.0, and 20.0 micrograms/ml of Con-A. Cultures were pulsed on day 3 with /sup 3/H-thymidine and harvested on day 4. Data were analyzed using Student's t-test. S-T-C function was found to be significantly impaired in SLE vs normal (p . 0.0316). No statistically significant difference was seen in BP (p . 0.5883) and PV (p . 0.0921) as compared with normals. A defect in suppressor cell function may still be present in patients with PV and BP for the defect may be antigen-specific and therefore remain undetected by the Con-A suppressor assay.
- Research Organization:
- Department of Dermatology, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor
- OSTI ID:
- 6579767
- Journal Information:
- J. Invest. Dermatol.; (United States), Vol. 79:3
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
Similar Records
A novel human autoimmune syndrome caused by combined hypomorphic and activating mutations in ZAP-70
Bullous pemphigoid after radiation therapy
Related Subjects
59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
IMMUNE REACTIONS
PATHOLOGY
LUPUS
LYMPHOCYTES
BIOLOGICAL RADIATION EFFECTS
COBALT
CONCANAVALIN
EXTERNAL IRRADIATION
LEUKOCYTES
PATIENTS
AGGLUTININS
ANIMAL CELLS
ANTIBODIES
BACTERIAL DISEASES
BIOLOGICAL EFFECTS
BIOLOGICAL MATERIALS
BLOOD
BLOOD CELLS
BODY FLUIDS
CONNECTIVE TISSUE CELLS
DISEASES
ELEMENTS
HEMAGGLUTININS
INFECTIOUS DISEASES
IRRADIATION
MATERIALS
METALS
RADIATION EFFECTS
SKIN DISEASES
SOMATIC CELLS
TRANSITION ELEMENTS
TUBERCULOSIS
560151* - Radiation Effects on Animals- Man
550900 - Pathology
551000 - Physiological Systems