Abstract
Microviscosity and lipid composition of lymphocytes were examined in six healthy subjects, five patients with systemic lupus erythematosus and five patients with myasthenia gravis. Microviscosity of healthy lymphocytes was 1.549, and one of patients with systemic lupus erythematosus and myasthenia gravis decreased to 1.203 (p<0.05) and 1.082 (p<0.001), respectively.
The weight percentage ratio of phosphatidylethanolamine to phosphatidylcholine also decreased in systemic lupus erythematosus and myasthenia gravis than in healthy controls, although there was no difference in molar ratio of free cholesterol to phospholipid and sphngomyelin to phosphatidylcholine among healthy controls, myasthenia gravis and systemic lupus erythematosus. Changes of microviscosity of these lymphocytes well correlated to the severities of disease.
