2-dimensional flow cytometric analysis of peripheral blood T lymphocytes from patients with systemic lupus erythematosus: preferential expression of HLA-DR antigen on the surface of Leu 2a+ cells.

2-dimensional flow cytometric analysis of the peripheral blood T lymphocytes from 20 patients with systemic lupus erythematosus showed a significant increase in the percentage of Leu 2a+ 15- cytotoxic subset irrespective of disease activity compared to 35 age and sex matched healthy individuals. The percentage of Leu 2a+ HLA-DR + cells also increased significantly in both patients with active and inactive disease compared to the controls. In contrast, both the relative and absolute number of Leu 3a+ 8+ cell (suppressor/inducer T cell) showed a significant reduction in active and inactive disease if compared to controls. All of these changes were more drastic in the patients with active disease.