Lymphocyte Inclusions in Newborns of Mothers with Systemic Lupus Erythematosus

CYTOPLASMIC tubuloreticular structures have been observed within vascular endothelium and circulating lymphocytes of patients with a variety of connective-tissue disorders.1 2 3 The factors responsible for the occurrence and cellular distribution of these inclusions are not known. There has been speculation regarding a viral association based on the morphologic resemblance to viral nucleocapsids,3 the development of similar structures during experimental viral infections,4 and their induction in human cell lines harboring Epstein–Barr virus.5 We have observed lymphocyte tubuloreticular structures in newborns from two patients with systemic lupus erythematosus. Mononuclear cell samples were prepared from circulating maternal and fetal umbilical-cord blood by Hypaque-Ficoll gradient . . .