T cell subsets in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus

Abstract

T cell subsets were determined in blood of 16 patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), and 16 healthy individuals. SLE patients showed marked decrease in relative level of suppressor/cytotoxic T cells, slight decrease in helper/inducer T cells, and an increased helper/suppressor T cell ratio. The diminished level of suppressor/cytotoxic T cells was correlated with the clinical severity of disease. Cytofluorographic analysis of T cell subsets obtained from SLE patients did not show significant differences in homogeneity of the cell subpopulations as compared to healthy controls.