[Cellular immunity during ankylosing spondylitis]

A study of cell immunity was carried out in 23 patients with ankylosing spondylitis, 17 HLA B27 +, 6 HLA B27 --, 5 donors of normal blood carrying HLA B27 antigen and 50 controls, 7 methods were used together for a study of the markers of the blood lymphocyte membranes: rosette E, rapid rosette E, anti HTLA + X, surface immunoglobulins, PEA gamma and BEA gamma rosettes, determination of the monocytes after peroxidase staining. Stimulation of lymphocytes with mitogens (PHA, Con A, PWM) were carried out. There exists an increase in blood lymphocytes carrying HTLA + X in patients with ankylosing spondylitis HLA B27 and also in healthy carriers of the same antigen. During ankylosing spondylitis with HLA B27 --, a statistically significant reduction in T lymphocytes forming E and E rapid rosettes was observed; finally, a rise in the levels of circulating immune complexes detected by the PEG --C4 method was noted. The significance of these facts is discussed.