IMBALANCES IN T-CELL SUB-POPULATIONS IN LEPROMATOUS LEPROSY

  • 1 January 1982
    • journal article
    • research article
    • Vol. 50  (3) , 282-290
Abstract
Circulating T cells, T helper and T suppressor cells were investigated in 24 lepromatous patients, using murine hybridoma-derived monoclonal antibodies OKT 3, OKT 4 and OKT 8. Six bacillary lepromatous patients without recent erythema nodosum leprosum (ENL) were studied in this group; suppressor cells were increased and helper cells diminished, resulting in a decrease in the helper/suppressor (H/S) ratio. Nine bacteriologically negative lepromatous patients without recent ENL were studied. T cell subset distribution was normal, although some T cell functions were affected. In non-ENL patients, the diminution of the H/S ratio is correlated with the Bacteriologic Index (BI). Although bacillary, ENL patients exhibit a completely different T cell pattern than non-reactional patients. In these patients, there was a significant diminution of circulating suppressor cells and increase in T cell functions. These abnormalities were transient. The results confirm the importance of suppressor cells in lepromatous leprosy and suggest that imbalance between helper and suppressor cells may play a role in the pathogenesis of ENL reactions.