Suppression of immunoglobulin synthesis of systemic lupus erythematosus patients by concanavalin A-activated normal human spleen cell supernatants

Evidence against HLA and immunological dependence of disease outbreak in SLE. Immunological characterisation of identical twins clinically discordant for SLE

Identical female twins clinically discordant for 20 years for SLE were studied. Their HLA-haplotype was A1,28; B8w6,w35; Cw3,w7; Dr3,4. Both twins had a raised erythrocyte sedimentation rate, autoantibodies, and circulating immune complexes. The diseases sibling had a reversed OKT4/OKT8 ratio (0.43), decreased helper T cell number, defective pokeweed mitogen (PWM) induced plasma cell differentiation, and overactive hydrocortisone sensitive suppressor cells. Immunological abnormalities may be only partly HLA related (B8; Dr3), but are most probably secondary to the disease process in the sibling with SLE. Exogenous and/or endogenous factor(s) other than genetic or immunological are suggested as being operative in the predisposition to and expression of SLE.

Natural killer augmentation in systemic lupus erythematosus via a soluble mediator derived from human lymphocytes

Seventeen patients with diagnosed systemic lupus erythematosus were studied for natural killer activity and the ability of a human soluble immune-response factor to modify this activity. Defective natural killer activity was found in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus regardless of the stage of disease, medication, or organ system involvement (24.6% versus 47.8% cytotoxicity). After treatment with the immune-response factor, the natural killer activity increased in all patients, with a mean of 47.3% compared with 24.6% before treatment. This product has other immunologic activities and was shown to be free of interferon. The mechanism of action is not yet known, but such an immune-response factor has potential use in the treatment of systemic lupus erythematosus.