[Neopterin, a new biochemical marker for the detection of activated T lymphocytes].

In this review evidence is summarized indicating that the pteridine compound, neopterin represents a new and clinically useful biochemical tool to detect activated T-lymphocytes. T-cells stimulated in vivo or in vitro by allogeneic or virally or chemically modified autologous cells produce large amounts of this molecule. Other mononuclear blood cells, in contrast, lack this capacity. These findings suggested that evaluation of neopterin levels might represent a means for the biochemical monitoring of disease states mediated by or associated with activated T-cells. Our clinical data obtained on patients suffering from allograft rejection, viral disease, or autoimmune states strongly support this concept.