Suppressor T cell activity in splenectomized subjects

The effect of splenectomy on the expression of suppressor activity of peripheral blood lymphocytes was examined in this study. 63 soldiers splenectomized for trauma or hematological diseases one to 24 years earlier, were studied by measuring the suppresssor cell activity (using the Con A method), and lymphocyte blast transformation in response to lectines (PHA, Con A, PWM). There was a decrease in suppresssor cell activity in 15 (23.8%) of the splenectomized patients. This decrease was greater in subjects splenectomized for trauma than in those splenectomized electively (24% and 22% respectively). The decrease was related to length of time from surgery being highest in the first 5 years after removal of the spleen and was more frequent in females (43%). The mean of the stimulation indices calculated from the mitogenic response to PHA, PWM and Con A was lower in the splenectomized patients with reduced suppressor activity than in those with normal suppressor activity. The findings of our present study supports the view that splenectomy interferes with normal immunoregulatory mechanisms and suggests that pyogenic infections are not the sole hazard of this procedure.