Defective suppression intheautologous mixed lymphocyte reaction inpatients withCrohn's disease

SUMMARY T helper andsuppressorcell control ofautologous immunoglobulin production was measured in14patients withCrohn's disease (CD)using autologous Bcells ormonocytes tostimulate regulatory T-cell activity. A pronounced defect insuppressorcell function was observed inthe patient groupbutnotinmatched controls irrespective ofwhether Bcells ormonocytes wereusedas thestimulus. Thisdefect was observed forIgG,AandM.Thisdefect was seenbothinpatients with active disease andwithinactive CDsuggesting thepossibility that aprimary regulatory defect might exist inthis disease. Thepatient groupdisplayed normal helper cell function. Theautologous mixedlymphocyte reaction (AMLR) isaninvitro proliferative response that occurs when isolated Tcells arecocultured with autologous non-T cells -forexample, Bcells ormonocytes -expressing