Abnormality of Spontaneous Lymphokine Synthesis by Lymphocytes of Patients with Connective Tissue Disorders

Forty-seven patients with various connective tissue disorders were studied to evaluate the spontaneous release of lymphocyte factors affecting the in vitro migration of guinea pig macrophages. In the assay used the lymphocytes from 8 patients produced an excessive amount of factors inhibiting macrophage migration while the lymphocytes from 12 patients produced an enhancement of migration. There were no differences in the delayed hypersensitivity skin test responses between the 2 groups of patients. The data are consistent with either an abnormality of suppressor lymphocyte function or an altered lymphocyte subpopulation relationship as a factor in this in vitro abnormality.