RED-CELL NA+ H+ EXCHANGE AND B-CELL ALLOANTIGEN-883 (D8/17) IN PATIENTS WITH ACUTE RHEUMATIC-FEVER AND INACTIVE RHEUMATIC HEART-DISEASE/

The association of Na+/H+ antiport with 883 alloantigen was studied in patients with rheumatic disease. Simultaneous measurements were made of red cell Na+/H+ exchange and 883 alloantigen in microlymphocytotoxi c test with D8/17 monoclonal antibodies in 20 patients with acute rheu matic fever, 20 patients with inactive rheumatic heart disease, 20 pat ients with atherosclerotic heart disease (stable anginal syndrome), an d 20 healthy subjects. The number of 883(+) B cells and the Na+/H+ ant iport activity were increased in rheumatic fever compared to healthy c ontrols: 24.8 +/- 0.4 vs. 11.1 +/- 1.0% cells, 431 +/- 43 vs 121 +/- 1 2 mu mol H+/1 cells in min, respectively; p<0.001; and in patients wit h rheumatic heart disease compared to patients with atherosderotic hea rt disease: 25.7 +/- 1.8 vs. 9.8 +/- 1.1% cells, 482 +/- 73 vs. 124 +/ - 12 mu mol H+/1 cells in min, respectively; p<0.001.