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Polyclhonal B‐cell activation and increased lymphocyte helper‐suppressor ratios in discoid lupus erythematosus
Author(s) -
WANGEL A.G.,
JOHANSSON EIJA,
RANKI ANNAMARI
Publication year - 1984
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.1365-2133.1984.tb04702.x
Subject(s) - discoid lupus erythematosus , immunology , suppressor , lupus erythematosus , medicine , lymphocyte , lymphocyte activation , t cell , immune system , antibody , cancer
SUMMARY We studied polyclonal B‐cell activation in twenty‐six patients with discoid lupus erythematosus (DLE). Spontaneous plaque‐forming cells of the IgA class (IgA‐SPFC) as determined by a reverse haemolytic plaque assay were significantly more common in patients with DLE than in fifty control subjects. The patients showed a positive correlation between IgA‐SPFC and OKT4/8 ratios and also had a significantly higher mean OKT4/8 ratio. The two groups did not differ with regard to cells producing IgG or IgM or cells with OKT 3 , OKT 4 , OKT 8 or OKM 1 markers. None of the three patients with DLE who had IgA‐SPFC values which were above the mean (+2s·d.) for the control subjects had positive tests for ANA or low serum C 3 or C 4 , but two of the three also had increased IgG‐SPFC values. The results indicate that polyclonal B‐cell activation occurs in a small proportion of patients with DLE.