Abnormalities of B-cell activation and immunoregulation in splenectomized patients

Using a reverse hemolytic plaque assay as the effector system, we studied B-lymphocyte function in 12 patients after posttraumatic splenectomy, as well as in 25 normal individuals. The time interval between the splenectomy and the immunological studies varied between 2 days and 7 years. Compared to normal individuals, the splenectomized patients had markedly elevated numbers of spontaneous immunoglobulin-secreting cells (ISC) and severely decreased responses to the polyclonal activator pokeweed mitogen. A tendency towards normalization of these abnormalities, especially the high spontaneous ISC levels, could be observed during the time interval extending up to 7 years after splenectomy. In order to characterize the mechanism responsible for the altered immune response in splenectomized patients, co-culture experiments with unseparated and separated lymphocytes were performed. These revealed an impaired T-helper cell capacity as well as an intrinsic B-cell defect. Marker analyses with monoclonal antibodies revealed normal proportions with the exception of OKT 4 positive and B 1 positive cells that identify T-helper/inducer and peripheral B-cells respectively. We conclude that immune dysfunction in peripheral blood lymphocytes of splenectomized patients involves mainly the B-cell as well as the T-helper/inducer-cell population.