Correlation of ASLO Titre and Lymphocyte Response to Streptolysin-O in the Streptococcal Infection, Rheumatic Fever and Nephritis

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to investigate the relationship between the humoral antibody, (ASLO titre in the serum) and cell-mediated immunity, (SLO-induced blasttransformation of peripheral blood lymphocytes) in streptococcal infection, acute nephritis and rheumatic fever. Thirty four cases of normal subjects and 54 cases of various diseases above mentioned were examined. The following results were observed. 1) In 34 normal subjects, the per cent of blast cells was ranged from 1% to 27% (9.0 ± 6.4, mean ± S.D.) 2) In 55 patients with high ASLO level in their sera, the percent of blast cells was ranged from 0.2% to 46.8% (11.2± 11.8, mean ± S.D.) The difference of blasttransformation of two groups between normal subjects and patients with high ASLO level, was not statistically significant. 3) No correlation between ASLO titre and SLO-induced blasttransformation in the patients with high ASLO level was observed. 4) But, when observed from initial stage of above mentioned diseases, it was found that ASLO titre was promptly increased at first, SLO-induced blasttransformation was elevated later and maximum response to SLO was observed in 2 months to 3 months after streptococcal infection. 5) So, the response to SLO in the patients following 1 to 3 months after streptococcal infection was significantly higher than normal subjects. 6) The maximum response to SLO in the patients who showed very high ASLO titre at initial stage which is considered as severe infection was higher than patients with mild infection. 7) The blastgenic activity of SLO was found in non-hemolytic fraction because SLO showing no hemolytic activity by oxidized and SLO-ASLO complex showing no hemolytic activity induced blastgenesis.