       Document 0429
 DOCN  M9460429
 TI    Lymphocyte function in autism and Rett syndrome.
 DT    9404
 AU    Plioplys AV; Greaves A; Kazemi K; Silverman E; Division of Neurology,
       Mercy Hospital and Medical Center,; Chicago, IL 60616.
 SO    Neuropsychobiology. 1994;29(1):12-6. Unique Identifier : AIDSLINE
       MED/94173403
 AB    Peripheral blood lymphocytes from 17 patients with autism were separated
       on a Ficoll-Hypaque density gradient. Patients had normal numbers of T
       and B cells and T cell subsets. Although CD4:CD8 ratios were normal for
       the whole group (2.09 +/- 0.97), 6 patients had elevated ratios (> 2.2)
       and 5 had decreased ratios (< 1.5). Mitogen-induced proliferation
       (concanavalin-A and phytohemagglutinin) was normal as was the autologous
       mixed lymphocyte reaction for the whole group. There was an abnormally
       increased percentage of DR+ (activated) T lymphocytes in 11 patients.
       With increasing age percentage of DR+ lymphocytes decreased. No patient
       had interleukin-2 (IL-2) receptor+ cells. Similar investigations
       performed on blood samples from 8 girls with Rett syndrome produced
       normal results. 11 of 17 autistic patients had an abnormally increased
       percentage of DR+ but not IL-2 receptor+ lymphocytes suggesting
       'incomplete' activation, a finding which is seen in autoimmune diseases.
       The decrease in activated cells with increasing age suggests that there
       may be an autoimmune process which is more active earlier in life in a
       subset of autistics.
 DE    Adolescence  Adult  Antigens, Surface/ANALYSIS  Autism/*IMMUNOLOGY
       B-Lymphocytes/IMMUNOLOGY  Cell Division  Child  CD4-CD8 Ratio  Female
       Human  Lymphocyte Transformation  Lymphocytes/*IMMUNOLOGY  Male
       Phenotype  Rett Syndrome/*IMMUNOLOGY  Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
       T-Lymphocytes/IMMUNOLOGY  JOURNAL ARTICLE

       SOURCE: National Library of Medicine.  NOTICE: This material may be
       protected by Copyright Law (Title 17, U.S.Code).

