T lymphocyte subsets in uveitis.

We evaluated the peripheral T-cell subsets in 32 adult patients with intraocular inflammatory disease and 12 age-matched normal controls by means of the OKT series of monoclonal antibodies in conjunction with the laser cytofluorograph, which quantitatively determines the fluorescence intensity of lymphocytes. We found no statistically significant difference in the ratio of OKT 4-positive (inducer) cells to OKT8-positive (suppressor) cells. However, this ratio was significantly decreased in patients with active posterior uveitis compared with controls (P less than .05). The number of OKT8-positive T lymphocytes in this group was significantly increased (P less than .01), causing a decrease in the OKT4-OKT8 ratio. In patients with positive in vitro cell-mediated responses to the retinal S-antigen, a statistically significant (P less than .05) decrease was found as well only in the patients with active disease.