DEPRESSED PRIMARY INVITRO ANTIBODY-RESPONSE IN RHEUMATOID-ARTHRITIS

  • 1 January 1979
    • journal article
    • research article
    • Vol. 37  (2) , 196-204
Abstract
The primary in vitro antibody response toward a hapten was studied in cultures of peripheral blood lymphocytes from 22 patients with regular rheumatoid arthritis (RA). These patients were not receiving immunosuppressive drugs or corticosteroids and had not taken aspirin or non-steroidal anti-inflammatory agents for at least 72 h. The control groups included 32 healthy subjects and 27 control patients. The mean anti-TNP [trinitrophenol] response of the RA patients was significantly lower than that of both control groups. No pre-existing anti-TNP or IG[immunoglobulin]G response could be detected. A search for suppressor cells in co-cultures of RA and normal lymphocytes was negative. The extent of allogeneic enhancement in such co-cultures was comparable to that observed when control lymphocytes were co-cultured. RA serum added to normal lymphocyte cultures showed a dramatic inhibitory effect in only 2 of 9 cases. A follow-up study has strongly suggested that RA lymphocytes could increase their in vitro antibody response upon treatment.

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