[Study of helper T lymphocytes and suppressor T lymphocytes in respiratory allergy and their modifications in...

In has been assumed that in allergic disease there is a primary disorder in the lymphocyte subpopulation with decrease suppressor activity responsible for the pathological increase in IgE. Other authors have found secondary disorder in T lymphocyte subpopulations in relation to the clinical manifestations of the type I hypersensitivity reaction. We have studied the T lymphocyte subpopulations in 152 patients affected with bronchial asthma and/or extrinsic allergic rhinitis (without immunotherapy) in which 72 were male and 80 female with an average age of 26.49 +/- 12.05 years. Monoclonal antibody techniques were used (OKT4 for helpers and OKT8 for suppressors). The results were compared with 30 healthy controls; 60 males and 14 females with an average age of 32.52 +/- 14.23 years. We also studied the T lymphocyte subpopulations in relation to the symptomatology presented by the patients. The results were as follows: Significant decrease in helper and suppressor lymphocytes in allergic patients as compared to controls (p less than 0.001). No significant differences were found between the groups in relation to symptomatology (p greater than 0.05). In our study we found an important and significant decrease in helper T lymphocytes in peripheral blood in patients with respiratory allergy as compared to the control group, such as that found by Hsieh who also observed a deficient OKT4 function. Other authors have also observed a significant decrease in helper T lymphocytes parallel to the symptomatology of the type I hypersensitivity reaction, a finding that we have been unable to confirm in our study since no significant changes were observed between the symptomatic and asymptomatic patients.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)