Garaci E, Ronchetti R, Del Gobbo V, Tramutoli G, Rinaldi-Garaci C, Imperato C
J Allergy Clin Immunol. 1978 Dec;62(6):357-62. doi: 10.1016/0091-6749(78)90136-7.
Serum thymic factor (STF) activity was assayed in 26 young asthmatic patients and in 20 age-and sex-matched controls, in view of the increasing importance attributed to this thymic product in regulating several immune mechanisms. Determinations of total and specific IgE and of other immunoglobulins and skin tests were also performed. Decreased STF activity and high total and specific IgE concentrations were observed in the majority of asthmatic patients. In controls, STF activity was within normal limits in all cases and total and specific IgE concentrations were increased only on one case. The decreased STF activity may be responsible for a possible impairment of cell-mediated immunity and for the increased stimulation of the reaginic system observed in asthmatic patients, via its effects on some T cell subpopulation, namely, suppressor T lymphocytes, which seem particularly sensitive to STF variations. On the basis of these data and of the results of our study, a possible, although speculative, correlation between reduced STF activity and high IgE concentrations in asthmatic patients may be postulated. The reported increased occurrence of autoimmune phenomena in asthmatic patients is in agreement with the hypothesis of a STF-mediated suppressor T-lymphocyte quantitative and/or qualitative defect in this disease.
鉴于血清胸腺因子（STF）在调节多种免疫机制中日益重要，我们对26例年轻哮喘患者及20例年龄和性别匹配的对照者进行了STF活性检测。同时还测定了总IgE、特异性IgE及其他免疫球蛋白，并进行了皮肤试验。多数哮喘患者STF活性降低，总IgE和特异性IgE浓度升高。在对照组中，所有病例的STF活性均在正常范围内，仅1例总IgE和特异性IgE浓度升高。STF活性降低可能是哮喘患者细胞介导免疫功能受损及反应素系统刺激增加的原因，这是通过其对某些T细胞亚群（即抑制性T淋巴细胞，它们似乎对STF变化特别敏感）的作用实现的。基于这些数据和我们的研究结果，可以推测哮喘患者中STF活性降低与高IgE浓度之间可能存在关联。报道的哮喘患者自身免疫现象发生率增加与该病中STF介导的抑制性T淋巴细胞数量和/或质量缺陷的假设一致。
