Mitogenic Responses to Lipopolysaccharide by B Lymphocytes from Patients with Systemic Lupus Erythematosus

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Abstract
Peripheral blood lymphocytes from 43 patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and from age- and sex-matched normal controls were cultured with lipopolysaccharide (LPS) to examine the response to the polyclonal B-cell activator. Lymphocytes from active SLE patients incorporated 4840 .+-. 471 (mean .+-. SE) cpm in response to LPS; lymphocytes from inactive SLE patients incorporated 6906 .+-. 897 cpm. Lymphocytes from normal individuals incorporated 7452 .+-. 1126 cpm. Ig synthesis of lymphocytes from patients with active SLE in response to LPS stimulation was also less than that of normal individuals. The helper T cell function in active SLE, as examined by co-culturing irradiated SLE lymphocytes with unirradiated normal lymphocytes, was normal. Thus, a defect of B lymphocytes apparently exists in active SLE patients. This B cell defect and T suppressor cells apparently play an important role in the pathogenesis of SLE.