T lymphocyte subpopulations defined by two sets of monoclonal antibodies in chronic active hepatitis and systemic lupus erythematosus

Lymphocyte subpopulations were enumerated in human peripheral blood using murine monoclonal antibodies with specificity for all peripheral blood T lymphocytes (OKT3, alpha-Leu 1) and for the helper subset (OKT4, alpha Leu 3a) and suppressor/cytotoxic subset (OKT8, alpha Leu 2a). Patients with chronic active hepatitis (CAH) (23) or systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) (10), compared with healthy subjects (20), had a lower mean T lymphocyte count. Patients with CAH had normal numbers of suppressor/cytotoxic (TSC) cells, but fewer helper (TH) cells than healthy subjects (0 . 96 +/- 0 . 11 X 10(9)/1 versus 1 . 45 +/- 0 . 15 X 10(9)/1), and those with SLE also had fewer TH cells (0 . 93 +/- 0 . 11 X 10(9)/1). Patients with CAH receiving azathioprine (n = 8) had significantly fewer TSC cells, and a higher TH/TSC ratio (2 . 69 +/- 0 . 35) than those (n = 15) not on this therapy (1 . 85 +/- 0 . 15). When patients taking azathioprine were excluded, no correlation was found between disease activity and the TH/TSC ratio for either disease.