Lack of suppressor cell activity in systemic lupus erythematosus

Abstract

Suppressor cell activity was assessed in 15 patients with active systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) using two techniques: (a) induction of suppressor cells using concanavalin A and (b) quantitation of T cells which formed rosettes with IgG-coated ox red cells. Con A-induced suppressor cell function was found to be depressed in two-thirds of the patients tested and in some cases it was completely absent. We were unable to identify that group of patients with normal suppressor function as compared to those who had depressed function. The number of circulating T γ cells, however, was significantly reduced in all SLE patients as compared to both normal controls and 5 non-SLE patients receiving similar doses of corticosteroids. It is suggested that the presence of B-cell hyperfunction in SLE could be secondary to depressed suppressor cell activity.