IMPAIRED POLYCLONAL T-CELL CYTOLYTIC ACTIVITY - A POSSIBLE RISK FACTOR FOR SYSTEMIC LUPUS-ERYTHEMATOSUS

Objective, To determine whether impaired generation of polyclonal T ce ll cytolytic activity is overrepresented in systemic lupus erythematos us (SLE) compared with other rheumatologic diseases and whether such i mpaired generation of cytolytic activity waxes and wanes with disease activity and/or changes in medications, Methods, Peripheral blood mono nuclear cells from 84 SLE patients, 55 rheumatologic disease (RD) cont rols, and 44 normal subjects were stimulated with anti-CD3 monoclonal antibody, maintained in interleukin-2, and assayed for cytolytic activ ity against Cr-51-labeled Daudi target cells, Results, Generation of c ytolytic activity was significantly lower in SLE patients than in eith er RD or normal controls, Abnormal cytolytic responses in SLE could no t be attributed to the patient's sex, race, age, disease activity, or antirheumatic medications (including corticosteroids and cytotoxics), although both SLE and RD patients taking azathioprine (AZA) manifested lower responses than did corresponding patients not taking AZA, Abnor mal cytolytic activity reflected, in large measure, impaired cytolytic activity of CD8+ T cells, No significant difference in the generation of cytolytic activity between RD anal normal controls was detected, C onclusion, Impaired generation of polyclonal T cell cytolytic activity may be a predisposing factor in the development of SLE.