
Decreased Lymphocyte Response To Pha, Con‐A, And Calcium Ionophore (A23187) In Patients With Ra And Sle, And Reversal With Levamisole In Rheumatoid Arthritis
Author(s) -
Scheinberg Morton A.,
Santos Leonilda,
Mendes Nelson F.,
Musatti Chloé
Publication year - 1978
Publication title -
arthritis & rheumatism
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 1529-0131
pISSN - 0004-3591
DOI - 10.1002/art.1780210306
Subject(s) - levamisole , rheumatoid arthritis , medicine , immunology , ionophore , lymphocyte , calcium , lupus erythematosus , antibody
The mechanism of poor lymphocyte transformation to mitogens was studied in selected patients with rheumatoid arthritis and systemic lupus erythematosus. Low lymphocyte response to PHA and Con‐A in media containing autologous and homologous sera was usually associated with poor response to the calcium ionophore A23187, which induces blastogenesis by a different mechanism. The low lymphocyte response to mitogens in patients with rheumatoid arthritis could be restored by in vivo treatment with the anthelmintic drug, levamisole. The present findings suggest that intrinsic defects are responsible for the decreased cellular response in patients with rheumatoid arthritis and systemic lupus erythematosus.