[Possible influence of plasma factors on lymphocyte blastigenesis and E rosette forming in rheumatoid arthritis (author's transl)].

The lymphocytes blastigenesis to PHA in culture with autologous or normal plasma, the formation of E rosettes and the presence of immunoglobulins on the lymphocytes surface were evaluated in 51 patients with chronic primary polyarthritis. While the percentage of T and B cells was almost normal (52.1±2.1% and 18.1±1.1%, N.V. 55.6±2.0% and 16.2±0.8%), the blastigenesis was significantly reduced in cultures with a 25% autologous plasma (5399±709 cpm compared to 13,182±920 cpm of the normal standard) and returned towards normal values when it was replaced by the plasma of a normal subject (12,189±1 081 cpm). The rheumatoid plasma was capable of reducing the blastigenesis in 11 normal subjects (7 395±750 cpm). The preincubation for 90′ of the lymphocytes of 14 controls in rheumatoid or autologous plasma induced a significant reduction in the formation of spontaneous rosettes (40.8±1.4% and 56.2±1.7%). These results suggest that the reduced function of the T lymphocytes in this disease is due to plasma factors. © 1978 Springer-Verlag.