Con A‐induced Suppressor Cell Activity and T‐lymphocyte Subpopulations in Peripheral Blood Lymphocytes of Patients with Rheumatoid Arthritis and Juvenile Rheumatoid Arthritis

Abstract

Suppressor cell activity was investigated in peripheral blood lymphocytes from 20 patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and 20 patients with juvenile rheumatoid arthritis (JRA) using a concanavalin A/mixed lymphocyte culture assay. The mean suppression in the RA patients was slightly reduced compared with the suppressor cell activity in adult controls (25 .+-. 5% suppression compared with 37 .+-. 5%; P > 0.05, Student''s t test), whereas the JRA patients had normal suppressor cell activity (mean 46 .+-. 5% vs. 43 .+-. 5% in healthy children matched for age and sex). The RA patients had normal proportions of T cell subpopulations, 13.3% T.gamma. [IgG Fc receptor-bearing T cells] cells and 49.8% T.mu. [IgM Fc receptor-bearing T cells] cells, compared with 13.8% and 58.0% in controls. The JRA patients had a significantly reduced mean percentage of T.gamma. cells, 6.6%, compared with 13.8% in healthy children (P < 0.05, Mann-Whitney U-test). The mean percentage of T.mu. cells was 53.7%, vs. 56.2% in the controls. The relation between suppressor cell activity and suppressor cells enumerated by membrane markers is discussed.