Suppressor cell function is preserved in pemphigus and pemphigoid.

Area of Science:

• Immunology
• Autoimmune Diseases

Background:

• Suppressor T cell (S-T-C) function is crucial for immune regulation.
• Impaired S-T-C function is implicated in autoimmune diseases like systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE).
• The Concanavalin-A (Con-A) assay is a standard method for evaluating S-T-C function.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate S-T-C function in bullous pemphigoid (BP) and pemphigus vulgaris (PV) using the Con-A assay.
• To compare S-T-C function in BP and PV patients with healthy controls and SLE patients.

Main Methods:

• Peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBL) from BP, PV, SLE patients, and healthy donors were cultured with Con-A to generate S-T-C.
• Co-cultures of generated S-T-C with normal PBL as responders were stimulated with phytohemagglutinin (PHA) and Con-A.
• Proliferative responses of responder cells were measured by 3H-thymidine incorporation.
• Data were analyzed using Student's t-test.

Main Results:

• S-T-C function was significantly impaired in SLE patients compared to normal controls (p = 0.0316).
• No statistically significant impairment of S-T-C function was observed in BP (p = 0.5883) or PV (p = 0.0921) patients compared to normals.
• The Con-A assay may not detect antigen-specific defects in suppressor cell function.

Conclusions:

• The standard Con-A assay reveals impaired S-T-C function in SLE.
• The Con-A assay did not detect significant S-T-C functional deficits in BP and PV.
• Antigen-specific suppressor cell defects might be present in BP and PV, requiring alternative investigation methods.