[Cellular immune response to myelin basic proteins in patients with dilated cardiomyopathy]

Peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBL) of patients with dilatation cardiomyopathy (DCMP), CHD and healthy persons were investigated for the presence of sensitization to the protein basic myelin (PB) for characterization of an immunopathological process in DCMP. In half of the DCMP patients there was sensitization to MMP, the presence of cytotoxic MMP-specific lymphocytes, a decrease in PBL suppressor and proliferative activity, an increase in IgG and IgM biosynthesis and lack of the lymphocytic capacity for induction of specific suppressor activity to this protein. A conclusion of myelin damage in DCMP development was made on the basis of the data obtained. An assumption was made of the appearance of focal inflammatory demyelinization in the myocardium accompanied by an autoimmune process with disorder of cooperative links of T- and B-lymphocytes.