Lymphocyte suppressor activity in patients with polyglandular failure.

The Con-A--activated suppressor function of lymphocytes from polyglandular failure (PGF) patients in human mixed lymphocyte culture was compared to a normal population. As a group, PGF patients were found to have decreased suppressor activity: 67% of normal for autologous suppression, 45% of normal for heterologous. However, lymphocytes from most PGF patients have neither an absolute lack of suppressor activity nor an absolute inability to respond to suppression. The marked variability of assayed suppression, depending on the combination of stimulators and responder cells tested, limit the utility of this assay in defining individuals with abnormal suppressor function. One patient's lymphocytes were unique in that although suppression of heterologous cells was normal, suppression of her own cells was defective. Defective suppressor function may be related to the susceptibility of these patients to multiple autoimmune diseases.