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Circulating activated suppressor T lymphocytes in hepatitis‐associated aplastic anaemia
Author(s) -
Kojima Seiji,
Matsuyama Kohji,
Kodera Yoshihisa,
Okada Junichi
Publication year - 1989
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.1365-2141.1989.tb06289.x
Subject(s) - medicine , hepatitis , immunology , lymphocyte , aplastic anemia , hepatitis b , suppressor , t lymphocyte , antigen , cancer , bone marrow
Summary Lymphocyte subpopulations were measured in the blood of 21 children with severe aplastic anaemia (SAA). Five children with hepatitis‐associated AA appeared to constitute a unique group. Compared with children with idiopathic AA, four of five children had a striking increase in percentage of activated suppressor T lymphocytes, which were defined by binding of both anti‐Leu 2a and anti‐HLA DR monoclonal antibodies (children with hepatitis‐associated AA, 21·8±19·9% [mean ±SD], children with idiopathic AA, 2·9±1·2%). However, there was no difference in the mean absolute number of the activated suppressor T lymphocytes between the two groups, because the mean number of lymphocytes was markedly less in children with hepatitis‐associated AA (0·28±0·06 × 10 9 /1) than in those with idiopathic AA (1·64±0·74 × 10 9 /1). The mean helper: suppressor T lymphocyte ratio was significantly lower in children with hepatitis‐associated AA (0·58±0·74) than in those with idiopathic AA (1·22±0·44). On the other hand, we did not find such a remarkable alteration of lymphocyte subpopulations in children with non‐A non‐B hepatitis who did not develop AA. These findings suggested that an imbalance of lymphocyte subpopulations and T lymphocyte activation may have pathogenetic relevance in some of the children with hepatitis‐associated AA.