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Thymosin‐inducible ‘null’ cells in atopic eczema
Author(s) -
BYROM N.A.,
STAUGHTON R.C.D.,
CAMPBELL MARYANN,
TIMLIN D.M.,
CHOOI M.,
LANE A.M.,
COMPEMAN P.W.M.,
HOBBS J.R.
Publication year - 1979
Publication title -
british journal of dermatology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.304
H-Index - 179
eISSN - 1365-2133
pISSN - 0007-0963
DOI - 10.1111/j.1365-2133.1979.tb05575.x
Subject(s) - thymosin , eosinophilia , immunoglobulin e , immunology , medicine , lymphocyte , endocrinology , antibody
SUMMARY Thirty children with atopic eczema were compared with an equal number of age‐matched healthy children. The mean peripheral blood T‐lymphocyte level was lower in the eczema group (mean 1,197/mm 2 as against 1,702/mm 3 ; P = 0.003). This difference was abolished in vitro by thymosin, a thymic hormone extract. Positive correlations were found between eczema severity and: eosinophilia; hyperimmunoglobulinaemia E; but not T lymphopaenia. Thymosin‐inducible T‐cell (T i ) counts correlated with plasma IgE levels, suggesting that these T i cells may be immature suppressor T cells. If this T‐cell deficiency represents inadequate suppression of IgE responses, then a trial of treatment with thymosin appears to be warranted.