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A study of cell mediated and humoral immunity in haemophilia and related disorders
Author(s) -
Moffat Elizabeth H.,
Bloom A. L.,
Jones Jennifer,
Matthews N.,
Newcombe R. G.
Publication year - 1985
Publication title -
british journal of haematology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.907
H-Index - 186
eISSN - 1365-2141
pISSN - 0007-1048
DOI - 10.1111/j.1365-2141.1985.tb04072.x
Subject(s) - immunology , haemophilia , cellular immunity , humoral immunity , medicine , factor ix , lymphocyte , phytohaemagglutinin , immunity , immune system , haemophilia a , pediatrics
S ummary . Helper (OKT4) and suppressor (OKT8) T lymphocyte populations and functional assays of cellular immunity were studied in 37 patients with haemophilia and related disorders in parallel with age matched control subjects. The study included 26 patients with factor VIII (FVIII:C) deficiency, eight patients with factor IX deficiency and three patients with severe von Willebrand's disease (vWd). In patients with factor VIII deficiency low helper T lymphocyte counts, low T helper: suppressor ratios and a diminished response to the lymphocyte mitogen phytohaemagglutinin with decreased natural killer cell activity were observed. Individuals with factor IX deficiency had low absolute T lymphocyte (OKT3) counts and T helper cell counts. Patients with severe factor VIII deficiency (FVIII:C<1 u/dl) had lower T helper suppressor ratios and lower killer cell and natural killer cell activity in comparison to mildly affected individuals and all of the severely affected factor IX deficient cases. Studies of humoral immunity revealed a generalized increase in immunoglobulin levels in patients with coagulation disorders of any type. The total haemolytic complement activity was reduced in a significant proportion of haemophilic subjects. Levels of alpha‐1‐interferon were elevated in the groups of haemophilic subjects studied. The abnormalities of cellular and humoral immunity observed did not correlate with the amount or type of coagulation factor administered to individual patients in the preceding 2 years. The most marked abnormalities of immune function occurred in the one patient diagnosed as suffering from AIDS on clinical grounds.