Immunoregulatory defect in patients with autoimmune thrombocytopenic purpura (ATP).

Con A-induced suppressor cells were studied in 20 patients with autoimmune thrombocytopenic purpura and 20 normal controls. Percentage of suppression was determined on autologous and allogenic lymphocytes during blast transformation with phytohemagglutinin (PHA). In 10 patients and 10 controls helper (T4) and suppressor (T8) subsets were also determined, using monoclonal antibodies. We found a significant decrease in patients' suppressor cell activity both with autologous and allogeneic lymphocytes. Patients' responder lymphocytes were also impaired when tested with normal suppressor cells. The numbers of T4 and T8 in patients was found to be normal although the ratio T4/T8 was somewhat lower than in normal controls. There was a significant direct correlation between the numbers of T4 of patients and their suppressor cell activity on allogeneic lymphocytes suggesting an immunoregulatory defect at the level of induction of suppressor cells.