Abstract
In previous studies, patients with mild or inactive Crohn's disease were found to have increased suppressor T-cell activity. To further characterize suppressor T cells in Crohn's disease, studies were carried out with the use of monoclonal antibodies. Excessive suppressor activity was eliminated by removal of OKT 8+ lymphocytes by complementmediated lysis. However, the percentage of OKT 8+ (or Leu 2a+) cells and the ratio of OKT 4+ to OKT 8+ (or Leu 3a+ to Leu 2a+) cells were not significantly different from normal. Although the subgroup of patients with increased suppression of Immunoglobulin synthesis had a significantly lower mean Leu 3a to Leu 2a ratio than that of normal subjects, in the whole group of Crohn's patients studied, neither the percentage of Leu 2a+ cells nor the ratio of Leu 3a+ to Leu 2a+ cells correlated with excessive suppression of Immunoglobulin synthesis. A subpopulation of Leu 2a+ lymphocytes reactive with the monoclonal antibody HNK-1 (Leu 2a+HNK-1+) was increased in patients with Crohn's disease. Furthermore, elimination of HNK-1-reactive lymphocytes by complement-mediated lysis diminished the excessive suppressor cell function in patients with Crohn's disease. The percentage of Leu 2a+HNK-1 + lymphocytes correlated significantly with the suppression of pokeweed mitogen-stimulated Immunoglobulin synthesis in vitro. Thus, patients with mild Crohn's disease have an increased suppressor cell activity in vitro which correlates with the presence of a subset of lymphocytes that have an HNK-1 +Leu2a+ phenotype.
| Original language | English (US) |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 1510-1518 |
| Number of pages | 9 |
| Journal | Gastroenterology |
| Volume | 86 |
| Issue number | 6 |
| DOIs | |
| State | Published - 1984 |
| Externally published | Yes |
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Hepatology
- Gastroenterology