Functional and surface characterisitics of lymphocytes from patients with warm-antibody type autoimmunhemolytic anemia (AIHA).

As part of an overall assessment of immunological function, several aspects of cellular immunity and circulating lymphocyte subpopulations were evaluated in a group of 10 patients with idiopathic autoimmunhemolytic anemia (AIHA). The absolute numbers of circulating T and B cells were reduced in the patient group compared to normals. A shift from "corticosteroid-sensitive" to "corticosteroid-resistent" and activated cells in the cytogram of clustered Fe-(III)-hydroxide-glucane saccharose labeled T lymphocytes was apparent. In vitro studies of cellular reactivity, as evaluated by PHA, ConA, PWM, antigens and allogeneic cell induced proliferation showed a blend of general or selective depression and sometimes a normal or increased activity with no definite correlation with both the number of circulating T cells and the extent of the hemolytic activity by the disease. The possible significance of the findings is discussed.