LYMPHOCYTE SUPPRESSOR CELL-ACTIVITY IN ACUTE AND CHRONIC LIVER-DISEASE

  • 1 January 1981
    • journal article
    • research article
    • Vol. 44  (3) , 459-466
Abstract
Lymphocyte suppressor cell activity in 53 patients with acute and chronic liver diseases was investigated. Suppressor cells were generated by preincubation of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBM) with concanavalin A (Con A) for 48 h. Suppressor cell activity was evaluated by inhibition of Con A-stimulated blast transformation and by inhibition of pokeweed mitogen-induced Ig synthesis of fresh allogeneic normal PBM in the 2nd-set cultures. Of 29 patients with chronic active liver diseases (CALD), defective suppressor cell activities were observed in 8 cases (28%) for Ig synthesis and 16 cases (55%) for blast transformation study. The suppressor cell activities were decreased in 2 (22%) of 9 cases with chronic persistent hepatitis and 1 (17%) of 6 cases with inactive cirrhosis for both Ig synthesis and blast transformation. Suppressor activities were inducible in all 9 patients with acute viral hepatitis. The histocompatibility antigen DR4 was significantly increased in CALD patients, but there was no correlation between this antigen and suppressor cell activity. Apparently altered lymphocyte suppressor cells in patients with CALD may contribute to the continuing liver cell injury in this disease.