Effect of endothelial cells on the lymphoproliferative response in Takayasu's arteritis

Takayasu's arteritis, also known as 'non-specific aortoarteritis' is an inflammatory disease of the aorta and its major branches. It also involves the pulmonary artery. The aetiology of the disease is not known so far. Abnormalities of the endothelial cells in terms of their structure and function are seen in the pathology of a number of diseases affecting the blood vessel wall. However, involvement of the endothelial cells in non-specific aortoarteritis is not known. In an effort to identify the role of endothelial cells in the pathogenesis of Takayasu's arteritis, peripheral blood lymphocytes isolated from the blood of patients suffering from Takayasu's arteritis were cultured in the presence of endothelial cells alone and in the presence of mitogens concanavalin-A and phytohaemagglutinin-P. The peripheral blood lymphocytes of patients with Takayasu's arteritis showed a significantly decreased blastogenic response to the mitogen concanavalin-A when cultured in the presence of endothelial cells. Our result thus suggests that endothelial cells may probably induce an inhibitory effect on the lymphocytes in patients with Takayasu's arteritis.