The in vitro effect of levamisole on histamine inhibited E-rosette forming T-lymphocyte subpopulation in patients affected by disseminated erythematosus lupus.

Decreased activity of T-suppressor cells plays an important role in the pathogenesis of lupus erythematosus disseminatus. The authors investigated the in vitro effect of levamisole on the histamine inhibited E-rosette forming T-lymphocyte subpopulation in patients affected by LED and in healthy persons. Histamine significantly inhibited the E-rosette forming T-lymphocyte subpopulation in the patient group as compared to controls. This effect of histamine could be reversed by levamisole. It may be anticipated that the E-rosette forming T-cell subpopulation which can be inhibited by histamine is identical to histamine-receptor carrying T-lymphocyte subpopulation with suppressor properties. The possible mechanisms of histamine induced inhibition of E-rosette forming T-cells has been discussed on the basis of literary data.