Thalidomide induces imbalances in T-lymphocyte sub-populations in the circulating blood of healthy males

Publisher Website
Google Scholar
Abstract
Lepromatous leprosy patients experiencing erythema nodosum leprosum (ENL) were reported to have an increase in the ratio of circulating T-helper to T-suppressor cells (H:S ratio). Thalidomide is an effective drug in the management of ENL. To determine if thalidomide affected cells of the immunoregulatory system, B cells, T cells, T-suppressor cells, T-helper and natural killer cells in the blood of the healthy males were enumerated. Thalidomide induced a decrease in the T-helper/T-suppressor cell ratio. The decrease was due to a significant reduction in the percentage and absolute number of T-helper cells and an apparent increase in the percentage and absolute number of T-suppressor cells. B cells and natural killer cells were not affected. Thalidomide''s ability to decrease the H:S ratio in healthy individuals suggests that it may act in ENL by reducing an elevation of that ratio.