Alterations in T gamma cells in patients with chronic idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura.

The number and percentage of T cells bearing Fc gamma receptors (T gamma) was quantitated in peripheral blood of patients with the autoimmune disease chronic ITP. In over half the patients, low initial percentages were obtained, the great majority of which returned to within the normal range after incubation under capping conditions. The phenomenon could be reproduced by pretreating normal T cells with immune complex containing sera or aggregated HGG. Furthermore, a reversible reduction in T gamma cells was observed in control patients with nonimmune thrombocytopenia and in pregnancy. In each case an association was observed between the reduced T gamma cell levels and the presence of circulating immune complexes, which suggested that the results could be explained by masking of Fc gamma receptors with preformed IgG-containing complexes. By contrast, patients with other autoimmune diseases such as scleroderma and rheumatoid arthritis had high or normal numbers of T gamma cells, respectively. Taken together, the findings do not support the existence of a gross deficiency of suppressor cells in patients with autoimmune disease and emphasize the need for caution in selection of markers for identification of T cell subsets.