Depression of cell-mediated immunity in old age and the immunopathic diseases, lupus erythematosus, chronic hepatitis and rheumatoid arthritis.

摘要: SUMMARY Cell-mediated immunity wasassessed inmanbysummation ofpositive delayed hypersensitivity (DHS)responses tofive test antigens, Candida, mumps,trichophyton, tuberculin andstreptokinase-streptodornase (Varidase). Thestudy included forty-four controls comprising healthy persons andhospital inpatients withminorillnesses, forty-five agedpersons, twenty-four patients withactive chronic hepatitis (ACH),ninewithsystemic lupuserythematosus (SLE)and fourteen withrheumatoid arthritis. Forcontrols andthegroupwith ACH,cell-mediated alsobytransformation ofblood lymphocytes withphytohaemagglutinin (PHA). Theincidence DHS responses toallantigens fell withadvancing age, andresponsiveness wassignificantly lowerinallthree groups ofimmunopathic disease, particularly ACH. Prednisolone wasnotassociated withsignificantly depressed DHSreactions, but combined prednisolone andazathioprine were.WeakDHS were associated significantly withlowtitres ofnatural antibody toflagellin andwith lowerhumoral immuneresponses toflagellin. Lymphocyte transformation in response toPHA inACH less thaninhealthy controls. Thus certain autoimmune diseases showanimmunological imbalance intheformof cell-mediated toextrinsic antigens and'hyperactive' humoral to'self' andselected extrinsic antigens.