The Behaviour of Suppressor-Inducer T Cells Following Treatment for Graves' Disease

Abstract

The expression of surface markers of T cell subsets in the peripheral blood of 30 Graves' disease patients was investigated pre and post therapy using two colour flow cytometry. Reduced numbers of total, helper/inducer and suppressor/cytotoxic T cells were found in untreated Graves' patients. Numbers of suppressor-inducer T cells which are associated with maintaining the normal immune response, did not differ significantly between untreated Graves' patients and controls. Although 8 weeks' Carbimazole therapy reversed the changes in total, helper/inducer and suppressor/cytotoxic T cells, PTU or ¹³¹ I therapy did not. While suppressor-inducer T cell numbers were not affected by Carbimazole or PTU therapy, ^l31I treatment caused a decrease in suppressor-inducer T cell numbers.

Key Words:

• Suppressor - inducer T cells
• Graves' disease