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PubMedDate not supplied

Usefulness of lymphocyte subset change as an indicator for predicting survival time and effectiveness of treatment with the immunopotentiator lentinan.

The usefulness of lymphocyte subset change as an indicator for predicting survival time and the effectiveness of combined treatment with an immunopotentiator, lentinan, and carboplatin (CBDCA) were investigated. Of 13 patients with advanced unresectable cancer entered in this study, 9 were administered 2 mg/body lentinan and 450 mg/m2 CBDCA, and 4 were administered a single modality of CBDCA. The mean survival time of all 13 cases was 9.89 months. Lymphocyte subsets of CD11(-)CD8(+), CD11(+)CD8(+), CD57(-)CD16(+) and CD57(+)CD16(+,-) were measured by two-color flow cytometry. In five cases surviving longer than 9.89 months, CD11(-)CD8(+)/CD11(+)CD8(+) on post-treatment showed an increase two-fold higher than on pre-treatment, but in all cases surviving less than 9.89 months the rate on post-treatment did not increase two fold higher than on pre-treatment. The mean (1.78) of (post-treatment/pre-treatment) ratios of CD57(-)CD16(+)/CD57(+) in long survival cases was significantly higher (p < 0.01) than that (0.46) in short survival cases. Moreover, the mean of (post-treatment/pre-treatment) ratios of CD11(-)CD8(+)/CD11(+)CD8(+) and CD57(-) CD16(+)/CD57(+) showed a good correlation with survival time. These results indicate that changes of lymphocyte subsets of killer T cell/suppressor T cell and natural killer cell on posttreatment compared to pre-treatment are clinically useful indicators for predicting and monitoring the effectiveness of combined treatment with lentinan and CBDCA.

Adjuvants, Immunologic↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Predictive value of CD8highCD57+ lymphocyte subset in interferon therapy of patients with renal cell carcinoma.

BACKGROUND: The aim of this retrospective study was to evaluate the significance of pre-treatment levels of peripheral blood lymphocyte subsets for survival of renal cell carcinoma (RCC) patients treated with interferon-a2b (IFN). PATIENTS AND METHODS: CD3+, CD19+, CD16&56+, CD4+, CD8+, CD4+CD45ROhigh and CD8highCD57+ lymphocyte subsets in peripheral blood of 85 advanced RCC patients were determined using flow cytometry. The survival of IFN-treated and non-treated patients was analyzed by gradually testing different cut-off levels of each lymphocyte subset. RESULTS: Advanced RCC patients with > or = 30% CD8highCD57+ lymphocytes in the CD8+ subset had shorter survival compared to patients with < 30% CD8highCD57+ lymphocytes in the CD8+ subset (p = 0.01). Treatment with IFN increased overall survival only in the former subgroup of RCC patients (p = 0.02). CONCLUSION: The present study suggests that the percentage of CD8highCD57+ lymphocytes in the CD8+ subset may have a prognostic significance for advanced RCC patients and may have a predictive value in patient selection for survival benefit due to treatment with IFN.

Adult↗
PubMed1999

The prognostic value of peripheral blood lymphocyte subsets in patients with bladder carcinoma treated using neoadjuvant M-VEC chemotherapy.

OBJECTIVES: To assess the prognostic value of peripheral blood lymphocyte subsets in patients with bladder cancer who were treated with neoadjuvant chemotherapy. PATIENTS, SUBJECTS AND METHODS: Thirty patients with a histological diagnosis of invasive bladder transitional cell carcinoma and 30 age-matched controls with no evidence of cancer and immunological disorders were evaluated. Peripheral blood samples were assessed in both groups using monoclonal antibodies. Patients with bladder cancer who achieved complete or partial responses and those who had progression of the disease after systemic chemotherapy with methotrexate, vinblastine, epirubicin and cisplatin were compared according to the pretreatment values of the peripheral blood lymphocyte subsets. RESULTS: There were no significant differences in B lymphocyte levels between the groups. In patients with bladder cancer, the percentages of T lymphocytes (P<0.01), natural killer (NK) cells (P<0.05) and the CD4+/CD8+ ratio (P<0.05) were significantly lower than in the control group. In patients who responded to the chemotherapy regimen, the pretreatment values of T lymphocytes (P<0.001), the CD4+/CD8+ ratio (P<0.01) and NK cell levels (P<0.01) were significantly higher than in the patients who did not. CONCLUSION: In patients with invasive bladder carcinoma, cell-mediated immunity may have a role in the resistance to this malignancy and in these patients the pretreatment levels of T lymphocyte subsets may be an indicator of the potential response to chemotherapy.

Adult↗
PubMed1989

[A study of lymphocyte subsets in the peripheral blood, liver and spleen of patients with idiopathic portal hypertension (IPH)].

Lymphocyte subsets in the peripheral blood, liver and spleen of patients with idiopathic portal hypertension (IPH) were examined by means of flow cytometry and immunohistochemical analysis using monoclonal antibodies. The patients with IPH showed a slight decrease in the percentage of Leu2a+ cells and a slight increase of the ratio of Leu3a+ to Leu2a+ cells in the peripheral blood compared with the normal subjects. Flow cytometry analysis of the intrasplenic lymphocyte subsets in the patients with IPH revealed a significant elevation in the percentage of Leu2a+ cells (p less than 0.01) and a reduction of the Leu3a+ to Leu2a+ ratio (p less than 0.05) compared with the normal subjects, and also showed an increase in the percentage of Leu2a+ cells (p less than 0.05) in comparison to the patients with cirrhosis of the liver. An immunohistochemical and histometrical study of the spleen in the patients with IPH revealed an elevation of the amount of red pulp area compared to the normal subjects, and also a significantly increased number of Leu2a+ cells in the red pulp (p less than 0.02) in comparison to the patients with cirrhosis of the liver. Most of the Leu2a+ cells in the spleen were considered to be Leu2a+.15- cells by double immunostaining method. In lymphoid follicles, the IPH cases showed an increase in the size of follicle and germinal center, and an increased number of Leu3a+ cells in the germinal center and the marginal zone compared with the normal subjects. In the liver, the IPH cases showed a similar distribution but fewer lymphocyte subsets in comparison to the patients with cirrhosis of the liver. These results suggested that some immunological disorder is present in patients with IPH.

Adult↗
PubMed2000

Effect of intravenous cyclophosphamide in systemic lupus erythematosus: relation to lymphocyte subsets and activation markers.

Since the mechanism mediating the beneficial effect of intravenous cyclophosphamide (IVCY) in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is unknown, we investigated lymphocyte subsets and markers of activated lymphocytes in patients received IVCY, and compared the results with the effect of steroid pulse. In 55 patients with SLE, 34 patients receiving IVCY [21 cases (61.8%) were responsive] and 25 patients received steroid pulse [21 cases (84.0%) were responsive] (four patients who were resistant to steroid pulse therapy were transferred to IVCY). When the lymphocyte subsets and markers of activated lymphocytes were compared in the responsive and unresponsive group of IVCY, soluble CD4 levels and the ratio of HLA-DP-positive T cells were significantly higher in the unresponsive group. Further, the changes of these markers and costimulatory molecules [LFA-1 (CD11a), ICAM-1 (CD54), CD40 and CD40-ligand (CD154)] were also examined in the responsive patients. The ratio of HLA-DP-positive T cells did not change in the IVCY-responsive group, while it decreased in the steroid pulse therapy-responsive group. The ratio of CD11a on T cells increased and CD54 on B cells decreased in the IVCY-responsive group. The ratio of CD154 on T cells increased in the steroid pulse-responsive group, while it decreased in the IVCY-responsive group. These results suggest that the effect of IVCY is different to that of steroid pulse therapy and mainly related to B cell activation, and that these markers may contribute to predict the responsiveness of IVCY.

Adult↗
PubMed1995

Effect of qigong training on proportions of T lymphocyte subsets in human peripheral blood.

The effect of Qigong training on proportions of T lymphocyte subsets was investigated in human peripheral blood. We observed that the ratio of CD4+/CD8+ T lymphocytes was increased as much as 50% in a trainee group who practiced Qigong training more than 5 months compared to a normal healthy group who did not practice. The absolute number of CD4+ T lymphocytes was also elevated in trainee group with 100 cells/mm3 more than in normal healthy group. The positive correlation between the ratio of CD4+/CD8+ T lymphocytes and the ratio of CD4+45RA-/CD4+CD45RA+ T lymphocytes was shown in the trainee group. In contrast, there was a negative correlation between the ratio of CD4+/CD8+ T lymphocytes and the ratio of CD8+CD57+/CD8+CD57- T lymphocytes in the trainee group. The data indicate that Qigong training affects the profile of lymphocyte subsets in human peripheral blood, especially the proportion of CD4+ T lymphocytes.

Adult↗
PubMed2005

[Difference and significance of peripheral blood T-lymphocyte subsets in patients with chronic hepatitis B and asymptomatic HBV carriers].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the difference of peripheral blood T-lymphocyte subsets in patients with chronic hepatitis B and asymptomatic HBV carriers, and to analyze the relationship between the pathogenesis of hepatitis B and the hosts' cellular immunity. METHODS: Flow cytometry was used to detect the peripheral blood T-lymphocyte subsets in 29 patients of chronic hepatitis B, 25 asymptomatic HBV carriers and 35 healthy blood donors. RESULTS: Compared with normal controls, the numbers of leucocytes, lymphocytes, T-lymphocytes, CD4+ T cells, CD8+ T cells, CD4+CD28+ T cells and CD8+CD28+ T cells decreased in both the patients with chronic hepatitis B and asymptomatic HBV carriers, the number of NK cells of the patients with chronic hepatitis B decreased as well. Compared with normal controls and asymptomatic HBV carriers, the proportions of CD8+CD38+ T cells and CD4+CD45RA-memory T cells markedly increased and the proportion and number of CD4+CD45RA+62L+ T cells decreased in patients with chronic hepatitis B. CONCLUSION: There is an imbalance in peripheral blood T-lymphocyte subsets and turbulence in cellular immunity in the patients with chronic hepatitis B and asymptomatic HBV carriers, which may be associated with HBV persistent infection.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1986

Relation of human T lymphotropic virus type III antibodies to T lymphocyte subset abnormalities in hemophiliac patients.

The relationship of T lymphocyte subset abnormalities and the presence of antibodies to the human T lymphotropic virus type III (HTLV-III) was evaluated in 66 adult patients with hemophilia. Positive test results for antibodies to HTLV-III were observed in 62 percent of patients with hemophilia A and 9 percent of patients with hemophilia B. Patients with HTLV-III antibodies had lower percentages and numbers of T helper (T4) cells and increased percentages of T suppressor (T8) cells compared with percents in patients without antibodies to HTLV-III. The mean T4/T8 ratio for antibody-negative patients was 1.45 compared with 0.65 for antibody-positive patients (p less than 0.0005). These abnormalities were more apparent among hemophiliac patients who received factor VIII concentrates. The strong association of lymphocyte subset abnormalities and seroreactivity to this virus suggests that infection by HTLV-III has occurred in this population rather than a passive exposure to viral antigens contained in factor concentrates.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2003

[Stimulative effects of LDR induced proteins on human peripheral blood lymphocyte subsets].

OBJECTIVE: To find effects of low dose radiation (LDR) induced proteins on lymphocyte subsets. METHOD: Stimulative effects of LDR-induced proteins on human peripheral blood lymphocyte subsets were studied. RESULT: The 14C-TdR incorporation in CD4, CD8, CD19 cells increased by 118.23%, 115.18% and 121.62% respectively compared with control group. CONCLUSION: LDR induced proteins can stimulate proliferation of CD4, CD8 and CD19 cells.

Antigens, CD19↗
PubMed1989

[Lymphocyte subsets and interleukin-2 (IL-2) production of peripheral blood lymphocytes in patients with Vogt-Koyanagi-Harada disease].

The lymphocyte subsets and the interleukin-2 (IL-2) production of peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBL) in patients with Vogt-Koyanagi-Harada Disease (V.K.H.) were studied. In PBL, increased percentages of CD4+ T cells and decreased percentages of CD8+ T cells, which lead to high CD4/CD8 ratio were observed. In the CD4+ T cells the percentage of CD4+ 2H4+ T cells and CD4+ DR+ T cells increased. PBL from 3 out of 9 cases with V.K.H. produced high amount of IL-2 in vitro after stimulation with PHA, indicating IL-2 might be related to the pathogenesis of V.K.H. The differences of the phenotypes of PBL and IL-2 production in vitro between the patients in the acute and prolonged stages were not demonstrated. These results suggest that CD4+ T cells, especially CD4+ 2H4+ T cells may play an important role in the pathological feature of V.K.H.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1983

Cytochemistry of normal lymphocyte subsets defined by monoclonal antibodies and immunocolloidal gold.

The cytochemical reactivities of 3 acid hydrolases, alpha-naphthyl acetate esterase (ANAE), acid phosphatase and beta-glucuronidase were investigated in normal peripheral blood lymphocyte subsets defined by monoclonal antibodies OKT3, 4, 8 and FMC4 (anti-Ia). A combined monoclonal antibody-immunocolloidal gold/cytochemical staining procedure was used to determine enzyme activities and distributions of reaction product in each subset. Cytochemical profiles for each lymphocyte subset were defined. The majority (greater than 85%) of T cells (OKT3+) were positive for all 3 enzymes whereas a minority (less than 40%) of B cells (FMC4+) displayed reactivity. The cytochemical profiles of T helper/inducer (OKT4+) and T suppressor/cytotoxic (OKT8+) cells were not significantly different and corresponded to that observed for OKT3+ cells; thus none of these enzymes can be used to distinguish normal lymphocyte subsets cytochemically. ANAE reactions were further analysed, in the respective subsets, on the basis of dot-like or scattered/diffuse reactivity. The ratios of cells displaying dot-like: scattered/diffuse reactivity, in the respective subsets, were OKT3+, 5.4:1; OKT4+, 8.1:1; OKT8+, 2.4:1; FMC4+, 0.4:1. The cytochemical profiles and ANAE reactivities of T cell subsets identified by monoclonal antibodies differ from those displayed by T cell subsets defined by Fc receptors and confirms that there is little correlation between subsets defined by these two methods.

Acid Phosphatase↗
PubMed2006

Abnormal Fas/FasL and caspase-3-mediated apoptotic signaling pathways of T lymphocyte subset in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus.

OBJECTIVES: To explore the relationships between Fas-FasL-mediated signaling pathway and apoptosis disturbance of T lymphocyte subset in patients with SLE. METHODS: Flow cytometry was used to determine the percentage of apoptotic lymphocytes and necrotic lymphocytes by AnnexinV-FITC/PI double staining. Cell surface expression rates of Fas, FasL, and intracellular expression rates of activated caspase-3 were evaluated by two-color flow cytometry analysis in peripheral T lymphocyte subsets of SLE patients with inactive disease (n=22) and with active disease (n=17). The serum concentration of anti-nucleosome antibodies in SLE patients were assayed by ELISA immunoassay methods. Health volunteers (n=13) served as controls. RESULTS: The percentage of early apoptotic cells was enhanced in patients with active disease (P=0.001, vs. control) and in patients with inactive disease (P=0.004, vs. control). Compared with health control, the percentage of necrotic cells was significant higher in patients with active disease (P=0.001). The percentages of CD4(+)T cells expressing Fas (P=0.023, vs. control) and FasL (P=0.001, vs. control) were increased in patients with active disease. But there were no obvious differences of expression rates of Fas and FasL on T cell subset between two disease groups (P>0.05). In patients with active disease the percentage of CD4(+)T cells or CD8(+)T cells expressing intracellular activated caspase-3 significantly increased compared to inactive disease patients (P=0.018, P=0.027, respectively) and health controls (P=0.001, P=0.001, respectively). The serum concentration of anti-nucleosome antibodies was strikingly higher in patients with active disease (P=0.002, vs. patients with inactive disease; P=0.001, vs. control, respectively), however, the serum concentration of anti-nucleosome antibodies was not obviously different between patients with inactive disease and health control group (P=0.473). The percentage of apoptotic cells correlated with the serum concentration of anti-nucleosome antibodies in SLE patients (r(s)=0.350, P=0.031). CONCLUSIONS: Apoptosis of T lymphocyte subset in SLE patients increases. CD4(+)T cells are a state of active apoptosis. Fas/FasL-mediated apoptotic pathways are especially important for CD4(+)T cells undergoing apoptosis in SLE patients with active disease. Increased Fas expression results in a higher susceptibility to Fas-mediated apoptosis, which contributes to the increased levels of intracellular activated caspase-3 and accelerates apoptosis of T lymphocytes. The degree of lymphocytic apoptosis disturbance correlates with the level of anti-nucleosome antibodies in the circulation. Acceleration of lymphocytic apoptosis plays important roles in immune pathologic injury and immune regulation dysfunction.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1992

T-lymphocyte subsets in otherwise healthy patients with herpes zoster and relationships to the duration of acute herpetic pain.

T-lymphocyte subsets (CD3, CD4, and CD8 lymphocytes) in peripheral blood, parameters of cell-mediated immunity, were serially measured in 62 otherwise healthy Japanese patients with herpes zoster (HZ), and the findings were compared with those of 20 age-matched healthy controls who had had varicella but not HZ. Our objective was to elucidate whether there were changes in cell-mediated immunity, even in immunocompetent patients with HZ, and to investigate relationships between these variables and the duration of acute herpetic pain (AHP). All the patients underwent repeated sympathetic nerve blocks until pain was relieved. As compared with controls, there were slight increases in the percentages of CD4 lymphocytes (helper/inducer) and highly significant increases in the percentages of CD8 lymphocytes (suppressor/cytotoxic), resulting in marked decreases in CD4/CD8 ratios in the acute phase of HZ. The percentages of CD3 lymphocytes (pan-T lymphocytes) did not differ significantly. The duration of AHP was analyzed in 49 patients in whom T-lymphocyte subsets were measured more than twice. There was a weak but statistically significant positive linear correlation between age and the duration of AHP (r = 0.43, P < 0.01). There were statistically highly significant positive linear correlations between the number of days on which percentages of CD3 (r = 0.72, P < 10(-8)) and CD4 lymphocytes (r = 0.60, P < 10(-5)), and CD4/CD8 ratios (r = 0.62, P < 10(-5)) reached the maximum values after the onset of HZ and the duration of AHP. These correlation coefficients were higher than that between age and the duration of AHP.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Acute Disease↗
PubMed2003

Detection of T lymphocyte subsets and mIL-2R on surface of PBMC in patients with hepatitis B.

AIM: To study the levels of T lymphocyte subsets and membrane interleukin-2 receptor (mIL-2R) on surface of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) of patients with hepatitis B and its role in the pathogenesis of hepatitis B. METHODS: The levels of T lymphocyte subsets and mIL-2R in PBMC before and after being stimulated with PHA were detected by biotin-streptavidin (BSA) technique in 196 cases of hepatitis B. RESULTS: In patients with hepatitis B, the levels of CD(3)(+), CD(4)(+) cells, and the ratio of CD(4)(+) cells/CD(8)(+) cells were lower, but the level of CD(8)(+) cells was higher than those in normal controls (42.20+/-6.01 vs 65.96+/-6.54, 38.17+/-5.93 vs 41.73+/-6.40, 0.91+/-0.28 vs 1.44+/-0.31, 39.86+/-6.36 vs 30.02+/-4.54, P<0.01). The total expression level of mIL-2R in PBMC before and after being stimulated with PHA was also lower than those in normal controls (3.47+/-1.55 vs 4.52+/-1.49, 34.03+/-2.94 vs 37.95+/-3.00, P<0.01). In all the patients with hepatitis B, the levels of T lymphocyte subsets and mIL-2R in PBMC with HBV-DNA (+) were lower than those with HBV-DNA (-), which were significantly different (39.57+/-7.11 vs 44.36+/-5.43, 34.36+/-7.16 vs 40.75+/-5.87, 37.82+/-6.54 vs 41.72+/-6.21, 0.88+/-0.33 vs 0.99+/-0.27, 2.82+/-1.62 vs 3.85+/-1.47, 31.56+/-3.00 vs 35.84+/-2.83, P<0.01). In addition, the levels of CD(3)(+), CD(4)(+), CD(8)(+) cells, the ratio of CD(4)(+) cells /CD(8)(+) cells and mIL-2R among different courses of hepatitis B were all significantly different (F=3 723.18, P<0.01. F=130.43, P<0.01. F=54.01, P<0.01. F=2.99, P<0.05. F=7.16, P<0.01). CONCLUSION: Both cellular and humoral immune functions are obviously in disorder in patients with hepatitis B, which might be closely associated with the chronicity in patients.

Acute Disease↗
PubMed1990

High serum adenosine deaminase activity and its correlation with lymphocyte subsets in myasthenia gravis.

Serum adenosine deaminase (ADA) activity and peripheral lymphocyte subsets of patients with myasthenia gravis (MG) were simultaneously measured. The ADA activity in MG (n = 30) was significantly higher as compared with normal control (n = 150) and multiple sclerosis (n = 12) (P less than 0.05). The ADA activity of generalized MG was higher than that of ocular MG, while a significant elevation of ADA activity was observed in grade IIB as compared with grade I of Osserman's classification (P less than 0.05). A trend of high ADA activity was demonstrated in those whose disease had advanced to a severe degree associated with unstable clinical features (P less than 0.05). In addition, there was a significant elevation of ADA activity in patients who disclosed positive anti-Ach-receptor-antibody as compared with negative one (P less than 0.05). There was no specific trend among the proportions of the subsets of peripheral lymphocytes which could reflect the severity of MG, however, the proportion of OK Ia1+ tended to be higher with advancing the grade of MG. Interestingly enough, a close correlation was found between the ADA activity and the proportion of OK Ia1+ cells (P less than 0.05). From the above results, it was concluded that high ADA may be responsible for the pathophysiology of MG through the alteration of peripheral lymphocyte function.

Adenosine Deaminase↗
PubMed1996

Cortisol response to exercise and post-exercise suppression of blood lymphocyte subset counts.

This study examined a temporal relationship between exercise-induced changes in blood cortisol levels and circulating leukocyte and lymphocyte subset counts during and after exercise. Twenty-one young male, sedentary subjects [mean age, 20.8 +/- 2.4 (SD) yr; mean VO2max, 48.0 +/- 7.9 (SD) ml/kg/min] underwent a cycle ergometer exercise for 60 min at 60% VO2max. Peripheral blood samples, collected every 30 min during exercise and at 30, 60 min, 2.5 and 6 h of recovery, were used for the determination of serum cortisol and plasma catecholamines; lymphocyte subsets were analyzed by flow-cytometry. Based on the analysis of serum cortisol levels in response to exercise, the subjects can be identified as two groups: cortisol-responder (n = 13) and non-responder (n = 8) groups. Other than the cortisol response, the two groups showed no significant differences in terms of age, physical build, aerobic fitness, maximal heart rate, and pre-exercise blood leukocyte and lymphocyte subset counts. The two groups also did not differ significantly in their relative work rate and catecholamine response to the exercise. Both cortisol responder and non-responder groups displayed a granulocytosis, lymphocytosis and monocytosis during exercise, and a further granulocytosis after exercise. Changes in lymphocyte count and distribution during recovery, however, differed significantly between the two groups. In the circulation of the cortisol non-responder group, total lymphocyte counts returned to the baseline level shortly after exercise, whereas a significant lymphopenia occurred at 2.5 h of recovery in the cortisol responder group: the CD4+ cells showed the greatest decrease in cell count, followed by the CD8+ cells. In both groups, the CD16+ cell-counts tended to decline below the pre-exercise values at 30 and 60 min of recovery and returned to the baseline values by 2.5 h of recovery. The CD19+ cell-count was not suppressed in both groups after exercise. These results suggest that exercise-induced secretion of blood cortisol may contribute to post-exercise suppression of the helper- and cytotoxic-T cell counts, but does not seem to be involved in post-exercise changes in the NK-cell and B-cell counts as well as in post-exercise granulocytosis.

Adult↗
PubMed1983

T lymphocyte subsets in inflammatory bowel disease: peripheral blood.

Peripheral blood T lymphocytes and T lymphocyte subsets have been quantified in 28 patients with ulcerative colitis and 26 with Crohn's disease by an indirect immunofluorescence technique using monoclonal antibodies: OKT3, which detects all peripheral blood T lymphocytes; OKT4 (T cells of helper phenotype); and OKT8 (T cells of supressor-cytotoxic phenotype). Eighteen normal subjects and 16 patients with a variety of non-inflammatory gastrointestinal disorders were studied as controls. No significant differences were found between patient and control groups in the proportions of circulating T lymphocytes or their subsets. When compared with normal subjects, absolute numbers of T lymphocytes were reduced in patients with active ulcerative colitis or Crohn's disease (p less than 0.05). OKT4+ T cell numbers were reduced in ulcerative colitis, whether active (p less than 0.02) or inactive (p less than 0.05) and in active Crohn's disease (p less than 0.05) Numbers of OKT8+ T cells were reduced in active Crohn's disease (p less than 0.01). There were no differences in T lymphocyte numbers between the patient groups and the disease control subjects. The OKT4+:OKT8+ ratio in patients with inflammatory bowel disease did not differ from that in controls. No relation was found between any of the parameters studied and disease activity, site, or extent of disease, or treatment with sulphasalazine or corticosteroids. The presence of Ia-like, HLA-DR antigens on T cells was detected using a double marker immunofluorescence technique. In control subjects up to 7% of OKT3+ cells were HLA-DR+. In only three patients was the proportion of HLA-DR+ cells greater than in controls. These results indicate that the pathogenesis of ulcerative colitis or Crohn's disease does not depend upon an alteration in the proportion of circulating T lymphocytes nor upon an imbalance of T lymphocyte subsets as defined by monoclonal antibodies. The reduction in T lymphocyte numbers may result from mucosal infiltration. The findings also suggest that circulating T lymphocytes are not activated.

Adolescent↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Abnormal expression of apoptosis-related antigens, Fas and bcl-2, on circulating T-lymphocyte subsets in primary Sjögren's syndrome.

OBJECTIVE: To clarify the pathological role of the apoptosis-related molecules expressed on peripheral blood (PB) lymphocyte subsets in primary Sjögren's syndrome (SS). METHODS: The levels of apoptosis-regulating proteins, Fas and bcl-2, were determined in the PB lymphocyte subsets from 21 patients with SS and 14 healthy controls by 2-color flow cytometry. RESULTS: In the PB from SS patients, lymphocytopenia, especially CD4+ cell-lymphocytopenia, was prominent. As observed in previous studies, the percentages of CD4+ CD45RA+ cells were lower in the SS patients than in the controls, while activated (DR+) cells were increased in CD4+ cells from the patients. Fas+ cells were also increased in the patients' CD4+ cells and CD8+ cells, but not in their B cells or natural killer cells. Furthermore, we observed several positive correlations among the percentages of activated cells (DR+ cells or CD45RA-cells) and Fas+ cells recognized in the CD4+ and/or CD8+ cells from the patients. On the other hand, intra-cellular bcl-2 proteins measured as mean fluorescence intensity were significantly diminished in the CD4+ cells, CD8+ cells, CD19+ cells, CD45RO+ cells and Fas+ cells from 14 SS patients compared with 12 healthy controls. In addition, the numbers and/or percentages of CD4+ cells and Fas+ cells positively correlated with their expression of bcl-2 in SS patients. CONCLUSION: The abnormal balance between Fas and bcl-2 expression detected in the PB lymphocyte subsets from SS patients relates, at least partially, to the lymphocytopenia observed in the patients.

Adult↗