Imbalances in T cell subpopulations associated with immunodeficiency and autoimmune syndromes

Eur J Immunol. 1977 Oct;7(10):696-700. doi: 10.1002/eji.1830071009.

Abstract

Abnormal proportions of the distinct T cell subpopulations binding the Fc portion of IgM (T-M) cells and those bearing receptors for the Fc portion of IgG (T-G) cells, were observed in blood samples from patients who had congenital or acquired abnormalities of the thymus, severe combined immunodeficiency, or an unexplained primary deficiency in cell-mediated immunity; most had too few circulating T-M cells and often an overabundance of T-G cells. In an in vitro evaluation of lymphocyte from one of three thymoma patients with an elevated T-G subpopulation, removal of T-G cells abrogated the suppression of T-M cell help of B cell differentiation induced by pokeweed mitogen. A spectrum of patients with sex-linked infantile agammaglobulinemia, variable hypogammaglobulinemia, and selective IgA deficiency, and a few patients with autoimmune syndromes infrequently had distorted representation of these T cell subpopulations in the circulation. This suggests that B cell dysfunction in many of these patients is not merely due to numerical excesses or insufficiencies of helper or suppressor T cells.

Publication types

  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Autoimmune Diseases / immunology*
  • B-Lymphocytes / immunology
  • Cell Separation
  • Humans
  • Immunoglobulin Fc Fragments
  • Immunoglobulin G
  • Immunoglobulin M
  • Immunologic Deficiency Syndromes / complications
  • Immunologic Deficiency Syndromes / immunology*
  • Leukocyte Count
  • Syndrome
  • T-Lymphocytes / immunology*
  • Thymoma / complications
  • Thymus Gland / immunology
  • Thymus Neoplasms / complications

Substances

  • Immunoglobulin Fc Fragments
  • Immunoglobulin G
  • Immunoglobulin M