T-cell subsets and response to mitogens in patients with steroid responsive nephrotic syndrome.

T-cell subsets, lymphocyte proliferative response, circulating immune complexes (CIC) and serum C3, C4 and properdin factor B were studied in 22 children suffering from steroid-responsive nephrotic syndrome (SRNS) during the acute, remission and relapse phases. Renal biopsies were performed on seven children, including three patients who relapsed after remission and all showed minimal change in their nephrotic syndrome. The lymphocyte subsets were normal in SRNS patients, but the three relapse patients had significant increase in OKT8 cells and decrease in OKT4/OKT8 ratio during both the acute and relapse phases. Use of autologous plasma will lower the lympho-proliferative response in SRNS patients during the onset of the disease and in relapse. The circulating immune complexes were detectable in seven cases during acute onset, but the serum levels of complements were normal. A review of the total data suggests that suppressor T-cell dysfunction may play a certain role in the immunopathogenesis of SRNS.