Prothymosin α Restores the Depressed Autologous and Allogeneic Mixed Lymphocyte Responses in Patients with Systemic Lupus Erythematosus

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Abstract
SUMMARY Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is characterized by a variety of profound T-cell abnormalities among which are decreased autologous and allogeneic mixed lymphocyte reactions (auto-MLR and allo-MLR, respectively). In a group of 10 patients with SLE, the mean auto-MLR and allo-MLR responses, tested by tritiated thymidine incorporation, were significantly decreased. If optimal doses of highly purified prothymosin a (ProT α) were present during the auto- of allo-MLR, the T-cell proliferative responses of SLE patients were increased to normal levels. ProT α had more pronouced enhancing effect in patients than in normal individuals. Among patients, ProT α was more effective in those who had active disease and low proliferative responses. These results demonstrate that ProT α can fully restore the deficient T-cell proliferative responses in auto- and allo-MLR in patients with SLE. ProT α, or a certain peptidic fragment of it, could prove potentially useful in the treatment of SLE.