Thymocytotoxic antibodies in patients with autoimmune hemolytic anemia systemic lupus erythematosus and lymphoproliferative diseases

Summary Cytotoxic antibodies against human thymocytes have been found in the sera from patients with AIHA (52%), active SLE (80%) or lymphoproliferative diseases (74%). Only 42% of thymocytotoxic sera were also reactive against mature T lymphocytes, whereas 70% of the sera containing antibodies against T lymphocytes were also thymocytotoxic. The thymocytotoxic antibodies could play a possible pathogenic role in the development of immunologic abnormalities in these diseases including autoantibody formation through loss of thymus dependent lymphocytes, as in the NZB animal model.Supported by grant from the Ministry of Education