Abnormalities of T lymphocyte subsets in Behçet's disease demonstrated with anti-CD45RA and anti-CD29 monoclonal antibodies
Kahan, A.; Hamzaoui, K.; Ayed, K.
Journal of Rheumatology 19(5): 742-746
1992
ISSN/ISBN: 0315-162X PMID: 1377274 Document Number: 391709
We assessed T cell subpopulations using 2-color flow cytometry with phycoerythrin conjugated anti-CD45RA and anti-CD29 and fluorescein conjugated anti-CD4 and anti-CD8 monoclonal antibodies, on peripheral blood lymphocytes from 19 patients with Behcet's disease (BD) and 18 healthy control subjects. The percentage of CD4+ cells was significantly lower in patients with BD (34 .+-. 2%) than in control subjects (46 .+-. 3%) (p < 0.001). Among CD4+ cells, the percentage of suppressor-inducer (CD4+CD45RA+) cells was significantly lower in patients with BD (31 .+-. 4%) than in control subjects (45 .+-. 2%) (p < 0.01), while the percentages of helper-inducer (CD4+CD29+) cells were similar in patients and controls. The percentage of CD8+ cells was significantly higher in patients with BD (36 .+-. 2%) than in control subjects (26 .+-. 2%) (p < 0.001) involving both CD45RA+ and CD29+ subpopulations. Within CD4+ cells, the percentage of suppressor-inducer (CD4+CD45RA+) cells was significantly decreased in patients with active BD (26 .+-. 3%) compared with control subjects (45 .+-. 2%) (p < 0.001), whereas in patients with inactive BD the difference was statistically insignificant. Our results suggest that the defective suppressive function in patients with active BD may be related to the decreased suppressor-inducer subpopulation (CD4+CD45RA+).