Immunological abnormalities of aging: an analysis of T lymphocyte subpopulations of Werner's syndrome.

Two T lymphocyte-specific antisera, i.e. naturally-occurring auto-antibody to T cells of systemic lupus erythematosus patients (natural T cell toxic autoantibody) and heterologous antiserum against human brain tissue (antibrain-associated T-cell antigen), were used to detect cell surface antigens of human peripheral T lymphocytes. Nylon column-purified T cells from normal aged individuals and patients with Werner's syndrome (a premature aging syndrome) were reacted with these auto- and heterologous antibodies followed by staining with appropriate fluorescence reagents. The cells were subjected to the automated analysis with fluorescence-activated cell sorter. Fluorescence profiles to T cells of both aged individuals of over 90 yr and Werner's syndrome showed a very similar pattern, with a drastic decrease in the population that had high fluorescence intensity stained with either antiserum accompanied by the relative increase in the cell population that had low fluorescence intensity. Natural T cell toxic autoantibody comparable to that detected in systemic lupus erythematosus patients was found in the serum of six out of seven patients with Werner's syndrome, whereas normal aged individuals produced no such an autoantibody. The results suggest that Werner's syndrome has a change in the lymphocyte population very similar to old individuals, and that such a change is caused by the production of autoantibodies reactive to T lymphocytes.