Lymphocyte surface immunoglobulins in autoimmune diseases

A study of lymphocyte subsets in patients with angioimmunoblastic lymphadenopathy

Immunological marker studies of peripheral blood lymphocytes in 22 patients with typical angioimmunoblastic lymphadenopathy were carried out. There was a decrease of the absolute lymphocyte number, of T-helper cells and the T4/T8 ratio in the active stage of the disease. The active T-cells and total T-cells were reduced both in the active and in the inactive state. The number of B-cells was in both states increased. Implications and possible mechanism of these observations are discussed. The histological findings and the clinical picture of angioimmunoblastic lymphadenopathy (AILD) or immunoblastic lymphadenopathy (IBL) were described by Frizzera et al (1974) and Lukes & Tindle (1975). The aetiology and pathogenesis of AILD are unknown. Hyperimmune phenomena, hypersensitivity (Lukes & Tindle, 1975), and chronic antigenic stimulation (Neiman et al, 1978) were suggested as possible factors. A defect in T-cell regulatory function with secondary B-cell system proliferation was also postulated due to the decreased T-suppressor cells (Lukes & Tindle, 1975; Frizzera et al, 1974). In almost all of the reported cases of AILD there has been a decrease in T-cells and an increase in B-cells (Pruzanski, 1980). In this report we describe the results of immunological studies of peripheral blood lymphocytes in 22 patients with typical AILD. We have found that the active state of the disease is characterized by T-lymphopenia due to the decrease of OKT4 positive cells.

Supressor activity of peripheral blood mononuclear cells in patients with chronic discoid lupus erythematosus

Significantly increased suppressor activity of peripheral blood mononuclear cells was demonstrated in patients suffering from chronic discoid lupus erythematosus.

[Effects of direct laser radiation on human lymphocytes (author's transl)]

In vitro experiments with human lymphocytes showed that if irradiations with coherent light of a He-Ne-laser were performed an immune suppressor effect is obtained. Using incoherent light of the same wavelength, effects only occur (80% compared to the laser) if the light is linear polarized.

[Investigations of the T and B cells and the hemopexin-carrying lymphocytes in cases of porphyria cutanea tarda (author's transl)]

The immunoglobulins and hemopexin carrying cells have been determined in 14 patients having Porphyria cutanea tarda and in 15 healthy volunteers. At the same time, the stimulating effect of phytohemaglutinine and the leucocytesmigration inhibition by purified tuberculine proteins, were measured. In the 14 cases of Porphyria cutanea tarda, the IgG content and the number of hemopexin carrying lymphocytes was significantly increased, while the amounts of the other immunoglobuline carrying cells, and of T lymphocytes, was unchanged. Phytohemaglutinine stimulation and inhibition of leukocytes migration by purified tuberculine proteins were found to be identical in both patients and control groups.

Antilymphocyte antibodies in systemic lupus erythematosus. Effect on lymphocyte surface characteristics

Antilymphocyte antibodies in SLE bind to normal lymphocytes and are not always associated with lymphocytotoxic activity. Detection of these antibodies on the surface of normal lymphocytes by immunofluorescent techniques is enhanced by short incubation periods, reduced temperature, and metabolic inhibition. The same effects occur in SLE blood and may influence the enumeration of B lymphocytes as determined by surface immunoglobulin. The percent of T lymphocytes forming sheep erythrocyte rosettes is not affected by these antibodies.

Analyses of lymphocytes from patients with rheumatoid arthritis and systemic lupus erythematosus. Occurrence of interfering cold-reactive antilymphocyte antibodies

Large percentages of the lymphocytes from some patients with rheumatoid arthritis and systemic lupus erythematosus were densely covered with Ig demonstrable by immunofluorescence, which was occasionally present in the form of caps. The amount and character of the Ig staining depended largely on the procedures used in the isolation and washing of the lymphocytes. Cold-reactive antilymphocyte antibodies present in many sera wre primarily responsible for these variations. Overnight culture of the lymphocytes proved to be an efficient procedure for the removal of adsorbed antibody. Some evidence was also obtained for the presence of circulating immune complexes and exogenous rheumatoid factor molecules on the lymphocyte surface. Thus on freshly isolated cells the demonstration of surface Ig proved to an unreliable marker of bone marrow-derived (B) cells in these disease: the actual percent of B cells with intrinsic surface Ig was often markedly decreased. In patients with systemic lupus erythematosus, this reduction was in agreement with the low numbers of cells that had a receptor for aggregated IgG. The mean percentage of thymus-derived (T) cells in both diseases was slightly greater than the normal level.The concentrations of lymphocytes in joint fluids from patients with rheumatoid arthritis were often greater than levels found in blood. T cells primarily accounted for this increase. The T cells typically formed unusually dense rosettes with sheep erythrocytes. B lymphocytes were proportionally much diminished. Evidence was obtained for the existence of a major joint fluid lymphocyte population that lacked all assayed surface markers.