Thoracic duct lymphocyte study in schistosomal hepatic fibrosis

ABSTRACT

Schistosomal hepatic fibrosis is associated with important lymphodynamic changes. In this work, thoracic duct lymphocytes' function and subsets were studied in 20 males with hepatic achistosomiasis and 10 controls to evaluate the role of thoracic duct lymph in cellular immunity in schistosomal patients. Beside routine laboratory investigations, both serum and thoracic duct lymph were subjected to E-rosette testing, counting T-helper and suppressor cells using monoclonal antibodies and migration inhibition test to evaluate lymphocyte function. In schistosomal cases, peripheral blood testing revealed the presence of a reduction in T-cell number and function with increase in their suppressive action. Moreover, thoracic duct lymph studies showed reduction in E-rosette percentage T-helper cells and T h/s ratio with a slight increase in T suppressor cells. These findings may suggest preferencial passage of specific cells to lymph and/or presence of a specific factor that produces immunosuppression or abolishes the helper action of T lymphocytes