Abnormalities in humoral and cellular immunoactivity in pancreatitis. II. Study of the cellular immune system.

The in vitro parameters of the cellular immune system were followed up during the course of, and over 1 to 8 months after recovery from acute pancreatitis and in chronic pancreatitis. In acute pancreatitis, a significant inhibition of leucocyte migration and a significant reduction of the percentage and absolute number of early and total rosette-forming (T) lymphocytes were demonstrated. These abnormalities ran parallel with the alterations of the humoral immune system described in the first paper of this series. On the evidence of the follow-up studies continued for 1 to 8 months, the abnormalities of the cellular and humoral immune system were found to persist in the majority of the cases. The same is valid for chronic pancreatitis. The possible causes of the abnormalities are discussed. Tentative interpretations are offered for the possible role of specific immune sensitization in the transition of the acute to the chronic inflammatory process and in the progression of chronic inflammation.