Analysis of the expression of cell surface antigens and intercellular adhesion molecules on lymphocytes in CAPD...

The aim of the present study was to assess immunological aspects in patients on continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD). The CAPD patients were divided into two groups. Group A consisted of patients in which high-somolar dialysate was used infrequently, and group B consisted of patients in which high-osmolar dialysate was used frequently. We characterized cell populations in the peritoneal effluent (PE) of CAPD patients. Analysis of the nucleated cell composition revealed that one-third of the PE cells were lymphocytes. Flow cytometric analysis of the surface antigen expression on lymphocytes revealed that the proportion of helper/inducer T-cells was lower in PE than in peripheral blood (PB). By contrast, the rates of DR antigen expression on T-cells and CD45RO antigen expression on helper/inducer T-cells (memory T-cells) were higher in PE than in PB. However, there were no statistically significant differences between the rates of expression of any lymphocyte surface antigens in the two groups. Expression of intercellular adhesion molecules, such as ICAM-1 and LFA-1, was higher in PE than in PB. It is of interest that the expression of ICAM-1 and LFA-1 on T-cells in PB was significantly higher in group B than in group A. In summary, there is an increase in memory T-cells in the PE and up-regulation of intercellular adhesion molecules of PE lymphocytes of CAPD patients. The up-regulation of intercellular adhesion molecules is also observed in PB lymphocytes in whom high-osmolar dialysate is used frequently.