IMMUNE DYSFUNCTION IN CHILDREN WITH ACQUIRED IMMUNE DEFICIENCY SYNDROME:

Immunological studies were performed on 4 children age 2 to 2½ years with Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) born into households in which at least one patient had AIDS or AIDS prodrome. Total T cells were quantitatively normal but the ratio T4 (helper/inducer) to T8 (suppressor/cytotoxic) subsets was inverted (<1.0 N = >1.8). Proliferative responses of the peripheral blood lymphocytes to T cell mitogens PHA and Con A were markedly reduced in all children. Proportions of B cells were normal or increased and all patients had excessive levels of serum immunoglobulins (Ig). Ig production by B cells was evaluated in a reverse hemolytic plaque assay. Although spontaneous secretion of Ig by peripheral blood B cells were markedly increased, after polyclonal activation with pokeweed mitogen Ig secretions were greatly diminished. In allogenic co-culture experiments, admixtures of patient cells to normal cells resulted in suppression of Ig production. This suppression or activity was abolished following irradiation of patient cells with 1500 rads. The above studies demonstrate that children with AIDS manifest abnormalities of B cell activation and immunoregulation.