CD8+ lymphocytes from patients with systemic lupus erythematosus sustain, rather than suppress, spontaneous polyclonal IgG production and synergize with CD4+ cells to support autoantibody synthesis.

Abstract excerpt

The cellular requirements for B cell hyperactivity in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) were studied. Removal of either CD8+ or CD4+ lymphocyte markedly decreased the spontaneous in vitro production of polyclonal IgG and of antigen-specific (anti-double-stranded DNA and antinucleoprotein) antibodies by SLE peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC). The CD8+ lymphocytes that sustained IgG production were CD3+,...

Topics

• Antibody Formation
• Antigens, CD
• Autoantibodies
• B-Lymphocytes
• CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes
• Humans
• Immunoglobulin G
• Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic
• Lymphocytes
• Monocytes