title: The study of circulating CD5 positive B lymphocytes in Chinese patients with rheumatoid arthritis.
abstract: Circulating CD5+ B lymphocytes were studied in 39 Chinese patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Blood cells were stained with anti-CD5 and anti-CD19 monoclonal antibodies and were analyzed by flow cytometry. The results showed that there was no elevation of CD5+ B cells in RA patients when compared with 41 healthy control subjects. The circulating levels of CD5+ B cell correlated neither with serum titers of rheumatoid factor (RF) nor with disease activities in these patients. The CD5+ B cell levels remained relatively constant after a serial follow-up for 12 months. The similar pattern of epitope density of CD5 antigens also existed in the same patients. Although most studies in Caucasians revealed increased levels of CD5+ B cells in RA patients, measurements of this marker were not useful for the evaluation of disease activities in Chinese patients. Levels of CD5+ B cells may reflect more individual genetic background and may play a minor role in the flare-up of activities in Chinese patients with RA.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, College of Medicine, National Cheng-kung University, R.O.C.
authors.forename: S T
authors.initials: ST
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: C R
authors.initials: CR
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: M F
authors.initials: MF
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: J S
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: H Y
authors.initials: HY
authors.lastname: Lei
authors.forename: C Y
authors.initials: CY
authors.lastname: Chuang
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001172:Arthritis, Rheumatoid / Q000097:blood / Q000208:ethnology* / Q000276:immunology*; D044466:Asian People; D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology*; D018956:CD5 Antigens / Q000032:analysis*; D002681:China / Q000208:ethnology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012217:Rheumatoid Factor / Q000032:analysis
chemical_list: D018956:CD5 Antigens; D012217:Rheumatoid Factor