Lymphocyte capping: a diagnostic method in progressive muscular dystrophy?

Recent observations indicate that antibody-induced redistribution ("capping") of membrane antigens of B-lymphocytes is subnormal in patients with progressive muscular dystrophy. The present study was primarily designed to verify or refute claims that such an abnormally low capping capacity can be used to diagnose this disease group. In eight dystrophy patients we found the median capping to be reduced to 40%, while it was 52% in 27 neurological control patients, and 62% in 20 healthy blood donors. However, there was considerable overlap between the capping percentages of the three groups. Thus, our data indicate that the demonstration of reduced lymphocyte capping in the individual patient is of little, if any, diagnostic value.