The autologous mixed lymphocyte reaction in patients with rheumatoid arthritis.

In patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) a significantly decreased autologous mixed lymphocyte reaction (AMLR) was observed which varied widely and did not correlate with disease activity, clinical course or treatment schedules. When supernatants of AMLR cultures were tested for the presence of soluble factors no differences were found in regard to the suppression of allogeneic and mitogen induced lymphocyte proliferation. Furthermore both test groups failed to produce detectable amounts of interferon during the course of the AMLR, in contrast to the allogeneic situation were both RA patients and normal controls exhibited a similar interferon activity in the culture supernatants.