T-LYMPHOCYTE PRODUCTION, FUNCTION, AND DEATH IN CHILDREN WHO RECOVERED FROM OPSOCLONUS-MYOCLONUS SYNDROME

Abstract

Reduced CD4⁺ lymphocytes have been recently found in peripheral blood of children with active opsoclonus-myoclonus syndrome. The authors identified 2 children who recovered from this syndrome, one of whom showed reduced CD4⁺ lymphocytes 2 years after the disease onset. Except for a decrease of “naive” CD45RA⁺ CD4⁺ population and a mild restriction of T-cell heterogeneity in this patient, probably related to the immune response to viral infections, no alterations of T-cell homeostasis and function were found in either child. Therefore, the decrease of CD4⁺ cells may persist after clinical recovery, but the causes of this abnormality cannot be ascribed to intrinsic T-cell defects.

Keywords:

• CD4⁺ lymphocytes
• opsoclonus-myoclonus syndrome
• T-cell homeostasis