COLD-REACTIVE LYMPHOCYTOTOXINS IN CROHNS-DISEASE AND ULCERATIVE-COLITIS .1. INCIDENCE AND CHARACTERIZATION

  • 1 January 1982
    • journal article
    • research article
    • Vol. 49  (1) , 67-74
Abstract
The incidence of cold-reactive lymphocytotoxins in the serum of patients with Crohn''s disease or ulcerative colitis was investigated; 27% of patients with Crohn''s disease and 22% of those with ulcerative colitis had circulating lymphocytotoxins. This is significantly higher than the 4% found in a normal control population. The presence of lymphocytotoxins did not correlate with age or sex of the subjects studied nor with clinical parameters. The lymphocytotoxin is an antibody of IgM class, is optimally effective at 15.degree. C in the presence of complement and reacts with both T and B lymphocytes. The lymphocytes from patients with active Crohn''s disease or ulcerative colitis are poorly susceptible to lysis by lymphocytotoxins but lymphocytes from patients in remission are as susceptible as normal lymphocytes. The lymphocyte surface is probably altered during active disease although the pathogenetic significance of this is unclear.