Role of B lymphocyte and its subpopulations in pathogenesis of immunorelated pancytopenia.
OBJECTIVE
To measure the quantities and apoptosis-related protein levels of B lymphocyte in the patients with immunorelated pancytopenia (IRP) and explore the action of B lymphocyte in the pathogenic mechanism of IRP.


METHODS
Quantities of whole B lymphocytes and CD5+ B lymphocytes as well as the expressions of Fas and Bcl-2 in B lymphocytes in 35 patients with untreated IRP, 15 IRP patients in complete remission (CR), and 10 normal controls were assayed by flow cytometry.


RESULTS
The percentages of B lymphocyte and CD5+ B lymphocyte were significantly higher in untreated IRP patients than in CR IRP patients and normal controls (P < 0.05), and there was no significant difference between the latter two groups (P > 0.05). There was no significant difference of Fas expression in B lymphocyte among three groups (P > 0.05). The expression of Bcl-2 in B lymphocyte was significantly higher in untreated patients than in CR patients or normal controls (P < 0.01), and significantly higher in CR patients than in normal controls (P < 0.01). The apoptosis-related index was significantly lower in untreated patients than in CR patients or normal controls (P < 0.05), and significantly lower in CR patients than in normal controls (P < 0.05). The percentage of B lymphocyte was positively correlated with post-treated response time (r = 0.53, P < 0.01).


CONCLUSIONS
The production of auto-antibodies in IRP patients probably has some relationship with the abnormal quantities of B lymphocyte and its subpopulations as well as with the inhibition of B lymphocyte apoptosis.
Fu
Rong
R
Department of Hematology and Oncology, General Hospital of Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin 300052.
Shao
Zong-hong
ZH
Liu
Hong
H
Wu
Yu-hong
YH
Wang
Hua-quan
HQ
Xing
Li-min
LM
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016131:Lymphocyte Subsets; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010198:Pancytopenia / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology