The behaviour of suppressor-inducer T cells following treatment for Graves' disease.

The expression of surface markers of T cell subsets in the peripheral blood of 30 Graves' disease patients was investigated pre and post therapy using two colour flow cytometry. Reduced numbers of total, helper/inducer and suppressor/cytotoxic T cells were found in untreated Graves' patients. Numbers of suppressor-inducer T cells which are associated with maintaining the normal immune response, did not differ significantly between untreated Graves' patients and controls. Although 8 weeks' Carbimazole therapy reversed the changes in total, helper/inducer and suppressor/cytotoxic T cells, PTU or 131I therapy did not. While suppressor-inducer T cell numbers were not affected by Carbimazole or PTU therapy, 131I treatment caused a decrease in suppressor-inducer T cell numbers.