Summary
Thirty-two patients with Crohn's disease (CD) and 32 age- and sex-matched controls were studied for T lymphocytes and T-lymphocyte subpopulations in the peripheral blood, using monoclonal antibodies defining the helper/inducer and the suppressor/cytotoxic compartment. T cells were reduced in patients with CD (P<0.05), and this reduction was more pronounced in patients with active discase (P<0.01). This T-cell deficiency involves helper and suppressor cells proportionally. The proportion of helper and suppressor cells in CD was independent of disease activity and therapy. We conclude that the T-cell deficiency in CD is a secondary event, and that there is no derangement in the “immunoregulatory ratio” (helper to suppressor cells) in CD which might have served as an explanation for a possible autoimmune mechanism in the pathogenesis of this disease.
Zusammenfassung
Wir untersuchten Lymphozytensubpopulationen im peripheren Blut von 32 Patienten mit Morbus Crohn und 32 alters- und geschlechtsgleichen Kontrollpersonen mit Hilfe von monoklonalen Antikörpern mit spezifischer Reaktivität für Helfer- und Suppressor-Zellen. T-Lymphozyten waren bei den Patienten vermindert (P<0.05), und diese Verminderung war bei Patienten mit aktiver Krankheit stärker ausgeprägt (P<0.01). Die Verminderung der T-Lymphozyten betrifft Helfer- und Suppressor-Zellen gleichermaßen. Das Verhältnis von Helfer und Suppressorzellen war unabhängig von Krankheitsaktivität und Therapie. Die Ergebnisse weisen darauf hin, daß der T-Lymphozytendefekt bei Morbus Crohn ein sekundäres Phänomen ist. Bei Morbus Crohn ist keine Verschiebung des „immunregulatorischen Gleichgewichts“ (Verhältnis von Helfer- zu Suppressor-Zellen) zu beobachten, was einen möglichen Autoimmunmechanismus bei der Pathogenese dieser Krankheit hätte erklären können.
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Pfreundschuh, M., Bader, B. & Feurle, G.E. T-Lymphocyte subpopulations in Crohn's disease: Definition by monoclonal antibodies. Klin Wochenschr 60, 1369–1371 (1982). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01716217
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01716217