IMMUNOLOGICAL PROFILE IN SARCOIDOSIS PATIENTS - INVITRO AND INVIVO EFFECT OF THYMIC HUMORAL FACTOR

  • 1 January 1978
    • journal article
    • research article
    • Vol. 29  (3) , 91-95
Abstract
The lymphocytes obtained from 25 patients suffering from sarcoidosis proved by the Kveim-Siltzbach test and/or organ biopsy were studied. The number of T[thymus-derived] lymphocytes was determined by the E [erythrocyte] rosette technique and functional activity by a local xenogeneic graft vs. host reaction. (GVHR) and skin tests with PPD [purified protein derivative], SK-SD [streptokinase-streptodornase], Candida and Trichophyton. In most cases the absolute number of T cells was low and there was an evident impairment of their functional activity. There was also a clear correlation between the severity of impairment of cell-mediated immunity and the clinical stage and activity of the disease. In vitro incubation of the lymphocytes with thymic humoral factor resulted in recovery of the functional activity of the T lymphocytes of 4 of the 7 patients tested, with the previously negative GVHR becoming positive. One of these patients was treated with thymic humoral factor with a resulting restoration of the cell-mediated immune response although there was no evident clinical improvement.