Recent advances in SLE

Impaired T-cell-independent B-cell maturation in systemic lupus erythematosus: coculture experiments in monozygotic twins concordant for Klinefelter's syndrome but discordant for systemic lupus erythematosus

In a case of monozygotic twins discordant for systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), coculture experiments with isologous (i.e., genetically identical) lymphocytes were performed. Adequate T-helper-cell function in the SLE twin was demonstrated. Lack of B-cell responsiveness to T-cell-dependent and T-cell-independent polyclonal activators points to a T-cell-independent B-cell maturation defect in the SLE twin.

Growth of human B cell colonies from peripheral blood of patients with systemic lupus erythematosus

Human B cell colonies were grown from peripheral blood of 12 patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and from 12 healthy control subjects. The SLE group showed a large increase (p less than 0.001) in the number of colony forming cells (CFC) present in peripheral blood as compared with controls. The CFC were of the pre-B cell type. There was also a loss of OKT8+ cell inhibition of B cell colony growth in the SLE group compared with control subjects.