Decrease of the okt8 positive t cell subset in polymyalgia rheumatica

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Abstract
Peripheral T cell populations were investigated in 35 patients suffering from polymyalgia rheumatica. The total number of T cells was low compared with those of a control group of similar age (P < 10−3). This decrease was demonstrated by using both classic E-rosette and monoclonal antibody techniques (OKT3, and OKT4 + OKT8) and was shown to be secondary to a selective T8 defect (P < 10−9). There was no correlation between the decrease in T8 (a cytotoxic suppressor T cell subset) and steroid therapy, disease activity, and temporal arteritis, nor between this decrease and the TyM percentage and the presence of circulating immune complexes (CIC). The TyM cell percentage was low in the patient group (P < 10−5) and correlated with the presence of detectable CIC (P < 0.05). In contrast to the T8 and TyM defects, concanavalin A-stimulated cells from 5 selected patients were found capable of suppressing in vitro anti-trinitro-phenyl response. This suppression was found in both autologous and allogeneic experiments. From these data one can assume that an immune anomaly (T8 defect) could be the origin of CIC and the disease occurrence.