ALTERATION IN LYMPHOCYTE-T SUB-POPULATIONS IN INFLAMMATORY BOWEL-DISEASE

  • 1 January 1980
    • journal article
    • research article
    • Vol. 41  (1) , 156-165
Abstract
Peripheral blood mononuclear cells from 31 patients with inflammatory bowel disease (ulcerative colitis and Crohn''s disease) were analyzed for the proportions and absolute numbers of total T [thymus-derived] cells and for the T cell subpopulations carrying Fc receptors for Ig[immunoglobulin]M (T.mu. cells) or IgG (T.gamma. cells); 26 control subjects were studied simultaneously. Total T cell numbers were normal in patients with inflammatory bowel disease but there was a marked reduction in the proportion and absolute numbers of T.mu. cells in patients whether their disease was active or in remission. T.gamma. cells were normal. Simultaneous assessment of lymphocyte response to mitogens in vitro was performed in a group of patients. Responses to phytohemagglutinin, concanavalin A and pokeweed mitogen were decreased and a positive correlation was found between the number of circulating T.mu. cells and the responses to mitogens in vitro. Despite the presence of normal numbers of total T cells in inflammatory bowel disease, there is a marked imbalance in T cell subpopulations that correlates with mitogen responsiveness. This imbalance provides a possible cellular basis for the defect in cell-mediated immunity seen in these patients.