Suppressor-Cell Function and Autoimmunity

Excerpt

To the editor: Dr. Krakauer (Disorders of the Suppressor-Cell System in Autoimmunity Ann Intern Med 88:233-237, 1978) has presented data he interprets as showing that an age-related loss of suppressor-T-cell function leads to the autoimmune disease of NZB mice. We offer an alternate explanation that is consistent with his data and has very different therapeutic implications.

Dr. Krakauer's key observation is that concanavalin A-stimulated T-cells from mature NZB/W mice fail to suppress poke-weed mitogen-stimulated immunoglobulin synthesis. We have previously shown that concanavalin A stimulates not only suppressive but also enhancing effects on antibody synthesis and that these effects are competitive