In vitro T-cell functions specific to an anti-DNA idiotype and serological markers in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE).

The human monoclonal autoantibody 16/6 is a common anti-DNA idiotype found to have clinical relevance in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). Therefore the ability of peripheral blood T cells of SLE patients and healthy controls to proliferate and to produce helper T-cell factors following stimulation with this idiotype was tested. It was found that T cells of 75% of healthy donors proliferated to the 16/6 idiotype, whereas only 22% of SLE patients responded to this idiotype by proliferation. On the other hand, the capability to produce T-cell helper factors specific to the 16/6 idiotype was found in a higher percentage of SLE patients (48%) as compared to healthy controls (31%). The low frequency of proliferative responses in SLE patients might be due either to the chronic exposure to the 16/6 idiotype or to the production of antiidiotype antibodies against the 16/6 idiotype, which interfere with the response to the latter stimulator.