CD5+ B cells and naturally occurring autoantibodies in cancer patients.
We have determined the percentage of CD5+ B lymphocytes in the peripheral blood of cancer patients and healthy controls, using antibodies directed at the CD5 and CD19 (pan-B) markers. The frequencies of CD5+ B cells, expressed as a percentage of total B cells, ranged from 14.3 to 57.5% in the controls and from 14.8 to 82.8% in the patient population. One-third of the cancer patients had frequencies greater than 2 s.d. above the mean of the control population. The CD5+ B cell fraction expressed as a percentage of total lymphocytes was also significantly elevated in this group of cancer patients. These results suggest that the CD5+ B cell compartment may be affected by the malignant process or by the therapy modality employed. The plasma levels of several naturally occurring autoantibodies, the products of the CD5+ B cells, were also assessed in cancer patients and controls. No significant differences were observed when reactivity to several autoantigens was measured. These included nuclear components and phospholipids.
Stein
R
R
Garden State Cancer Center, Newark, NJ 07103.
Witz
I P
IP
Ovadia
J
J
Goldenberg
D M
DM
Yron
I
I
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D015703:Antigens, CD / Q000032:analysis*; D001323:Autoantibodies / Q000097:blood; D016175:B-Lymphocyte Subsets / Q000276:immunology; D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*; D018956:CD5 Antigens; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology*
D015703:Antigens, CD; D001323:Autoantibodies; D018956:CD5 Antigens