Abstract
The pathogenesis of rheumatoid arthritis is unknown, but clear abnormalities of the immune system are well documented in this disease. We therefore evaluated T cell subpopulations in patients with rheumatoid arthritis using monoclonal antibodies previously shown to react with all T cells (OKT3), with inducer/helper T cells (OKT4) and with suppressor/cytotoxic T cells (OKT8). These investigations disclosed evidence of a significant decrease in the number of OKT8 + cells/mm 3 and a high inducer-helper/suppressor-cytotoxic (OKT4 +/OKT8 +) ratio in active rheumatoid arthritis. A modest number of patients with active arthritis were treated with levamisole or with synthetic thymopoietin 32–36 (thymopoietin pentapeptide or TP-5). These individuals responded with ratio decreases to more normal levels. Our data support the hypothesis that monoclonal T cell antibodies may offer an important tool for the further evaluation of patients with rheumatoid arthritis and their individual response to treatment.
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