Dermatitis herpetiformis: lymphocytes, immunoglobulins and complement factors in peripheral blood

Peripheral blood lymphocytes from patients with dermatitis herpetiformis and healthy controls were investigated in order to determine the percentages of B-lymphocytes, T-lymphocytes and cells with receptors for the Fc part of human IgG (EA-RFC). Furthermore, the serum concentrations of IgG, IgA, IgM, IgD and IgE and the complement factors C3 and C4 were also measured. An increase in the mean percentages of lymphocytes with membrane-bound IgA and IgD, as well as an increase in the mean percentage of cells with receptors for the Fc part of human IgG (EA-RFC) were found in the patient group as compared with the control group. No differences between patient group and control group were found concerning the mean percentage of B-lymphocytes or T-lymphocytes. The mean serum concentrations of the various immunoglobulins and the complement factors investigated did not differ significantly between the two groups.