[Membrane markers and interleukin-2 receptor of splenic lymphocytes in children with aplastic anemia: detection of active subpopulations].

: A total of 16 children with aplastic anemia were investigated, among them 6 girls and 10 boys, the mean age 10.5 years. Splenectomy was included into the complex of treatment along with glucocorticoid and transfusion-replacement therapy of all the children. The membrane markers of splenic lymphocytes were assayed in the indirect immunofluorescence test with monoclonal antibodies of ICO and OKT series. The mean parameters did not significantly differ from those of subpopulations of splenic lymphocytes in the control group described in the literature. An individual analysis made in 8 patients (50%) has revealed active lymphocyte populations in the spleen: in the group of patients with a favourable prognosis to the disease an increase in the percent of B-cells was recorded in 2, OKT8(+)-lymphocytes in 1 patient; a rise in the percent of cells with receptors to interleukin-2 in 3 patients (from 25 to 32%); in the group of patients with severe aplasia an increase in the percent of activated HLA-DR(+)-lymphocytes was recorded in 2, and OKT8(+)-lymphocytes in 1 patient. All the patients responded well to the treatment. It has been suggested that in all cases the splenectomy effect is associated with the removal of immunoactive lymphocytes and can serve as an equivalent of the immunosuppressive therapy. The effect of splenectomy in the rest cases has been obscure.