Effects of IRA in vitro on T- and B-lymphocytes from peripheral blood of patients with connective tissue diseases.

The effect of immunoregulatory alpha-globulin (IRA) in vitro on T-lymphocytes (rosette forming cells) and B-lymphocytes (surface IgG and IgM) in peripheral blood of healthy subjects and the patients with connective tissue diseases were investigated. Marked inhibitory effects of IRA were observed on T-lymphocytes and surface IgG-bearing lymphocytes from healthy subjects. The effect of IRA was almost in parallel with the amount of IRA and with the length of incubation period at 37 degrees C. The inhibitory effects of IRA were more remarkable on surface IgM-bearing lymphocytes from the patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and those with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) than on those from healthy subjects. On the other hand, the effects of IRA were more remarkable on surface IgG-bearing lymphocytes from the cases of SLE than on those from healthy subjects.