Immunologic studies in patients with Takayasu's arteritis. III. Immunoregulatory changes.

Study of cellular immune function in 14 patients with Takayasu's arteritis (TKA) revealed markedly decreased active E rosettes and CD4+ cells and slightly diminished CD8 + and autologous rosette-forming T cells. They were also found to have decreased production of interleukin-2 and decreased response to interleukin-1. Patients with active disease were also found to have decreased response to IL-2. Conversely, patients with inactive disease were found to have a normal response to interleukin-2. Patients with TKA, whether active or inactive, had normal production of interleukin-1, normal concanavalin-A-induced and spontaneously expanded suppression, normal NK cell function and normal enhancement of NK cell function by interleukin 2. The findings indicate that the immunoregulatory disturbance of TKA is different from that occurring in connective tissue disorders.