title: Association of phenotypic changes in B cell lymphocytes and plasma viral load in human immunodeficiency virus-infected patients.
abstract: Many B cell abnormalities have been reported in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infected patients, including changes in the expression of mu, gamma, and CD22 molecules on the cell surface. Phenotypic changes in these markers on B cells isolated from HIV-seropositive patients with high or low levels of plasma viremia were measured. The phenotypic changes in B cells isolated from such patients were compared with the markers on B cells isolated from HIV-seronegative individuals using three-color flow cytometry. HIV patients showed a reduction in the proportion of mature B cells isolated from peripheral blood mononuclear cells compared with B cells isolated from HIV-seronegative individuals. An increase in the proportion of B cells expressing both mu and gamma molecules on the cell surface was also seen in association with high-HIV plasma viremia. A low plasma viral load was accompanied by a reduction in the proportion of B cells expressing both mu and gamma molecules to a level comparable to those seen in HIV-seronegative individuals. HIV-seropositive individuals demonstrated an increase in the proportion of committed B cells, as indicated by an increase in the proportion of B cells expressing gamma molecules. This observation may explain the poor humoral response of HIV seropositive patients to neo-antigens. Our results demonstrate that phenotypic changes indicative of in vivo B cell activation and an increase in immature cells are associated with HIV infection, particularly with a high plasma viral load. Phenotypic changes in B cell markers may correlate with functional deficits of B cells.
authors.affiliation: Cadham Provincial Laboratory, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada.
authors.forename: M R
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Dawood
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Conway
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Patenaude
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Janmohamed
authors.forename: J S
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Montaner
authors.forename: M V
authors.initials: MV
authors.lastname: O'Shaughnessy
authors.forename: G W
authors.initials: GW
authors.lastname: Hammond
mesh_terms: D015703:Antigens, CD / Q000097:blood; D000944:Antigens, Differentiation, B-Lymphocyte / Q000097:blood; D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D018791:CD4 Lymphocyte Count; D015496:CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000166:cytology; D015815:Cell Adhesion Molecules; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000097:blood*; D006801:Humans; D007142:Immunoglobulin gamma-Chains; D007148:Immunoglobulin mu-Chains; D037102:Lectins; D010641:Phenotype; D010865:Pilot Projects; D051918:Sialic Acid Binding Ig-like Lectin 2
chemical_list: D015703:Antigens, CD; D000944:Antigens, Differentiation, B-Lymphocyte; C497867:CD22 protein, human; D015815:Cell Adhesion Molecules; D007142:Immunoglobulin gamma-Chains; D007148:Immunoglobulin mu-Chains; D037102:Lectins; D051918:Sialic Acid Binding Ig-like Lectin 2