Characterization of the light chain-restricted clonal B cells in peripheral blood of HCV-positive patients.
To investigate the association between hepatitis C virus (HCV) and B cell proliferation, we searched for the clonal B cells by flow cytometric analysis of the surface immunoglobulin kappa (kappa):lambda (lambda) light chain ratios of the circulating B (CD19+) cells in 240 HCV-positive patients and 150 negative controls with liver diseases. Clonal B cells with light chain restriction (kappa:lambda ratio >3:1 or <1:2) were analyzed for CD5 expression and the presence of monoclonal immunoglobulin heavy-chain (IGH) gene rearrangements and the t(14;18) chromosomal translocation. Clonal B cells were detected in 7 cases with HCV (2.9%), but was never detected in the controls (p < 0.05). Of the 7 cases, all had monoclonal IGH gene rearrangements and one had the t(14;18) chromosomal translocation. These HCV-related clonal B cells are not uniform in the intensity of CD5 expression and showed no increase in the frequencies of CD5+ population compared with non-clonal B cells. No "chronic lymphocytic leukemia-phenotype" cells were found. The loss of clonality was observed in 2 cases treated with interferon and in one case treated with splenectomy. The longitudinal study is required to determine whether these circulating clonal B cells progress to lymphoproliferative disorders in future or not.
Division of Hematology, Department of Medicine, Kurume University School of Medicine, 67 Asahi-machi, Kurume, 830-0011, Japan. ohtsubo_korenori@kurume-u.ac.jp.
Korenori
K
Ohtsubo
Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Medicine, Kurume University School of Medicine, Kurume, Japan.|Department of Digestive Disease Information and Research, Kurume University School of Medicine, Kurume, Japan.|Research Center for Innovative Cancer Therapy, Kurume University, Kurume, Japan.
Michio
M
Sata
Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Medicine, Kurume University School of Medicine, Kurume, Japan.|Department of Digestive Disease Information and Research, Kurume University School of Medicine, Kurume, Japan.
Takumi
T
Kawaguchi
Division of Hematology, Department of Medicine, Kurume University School of Medicine, 67 Asahi-machi, Kurume, 830-0011, Japan.
Satoshi
S
Morishige
Division of Hematology, Department of Medicine, Kurume University School of Medicine, 67 Asahi-machi, Kurume, 830-0011, Japan.
Yuka
Y
Takata
Division of Hematology, Department of Medicine, Kurume University School of Medicine, 67 Asahi-machi, Kurume, 830-0011, Japan.
Eijiro
E
Oku
Division of Hematology, Department of Medicine, Kurume University School of Medicine, 67 Asahi-machi, Kurume, 830-0011, Japan.
Rie
R
Imamura
Division of Hematology, Department of Medicine, Kurume University School of Medicine, 67 Asahi-machi, Kurume, 830-0011, Japan.|Research Center for Innovative Cancer Therapy, Kurume University, Kurume, Japan.
Ritsuko
R
Seki
Division of Hematology, Department of Medicine, Kurume University School of Medicine, 67 Asahi-machi, Kurume, 830-0011, Japan.
Michitoshi
M
Hashiguchi
Division of Hematology, Department of Medicine, Kurume University School of Medicine, 67 Asahi-machi, Kurume, 830-0011, Japan.
Koichi
K
Osaki
Division of Hematology, Department of Medicine, Kurume University School of Medicine, 67 Asahi-machi, Kurume, 830-0011, Japan.
Kazuaki
K
Yakushiji
Division of Hematology, Department of Medicine, Kurume University School of Medicine, 67 Asahi-machi, Kurume, 830-0011, Japan.
Taisuke
T
Kanaji
Division of Hematology, Department of Medicine, Kurume University School of Medicine, 67 Asahi-machi, Kurume, 830-0011, Japan.
Kohji
K
Yoshimoto
Research Center for Innovative Cancer Therapy, Kurume University, Kurume, Japan.
Takato
T
Ueno
Division of Hematology, Department of Medicine, Kurume University School of Medicine, 67 Asahi-machi, Kurume, 830-0011, Japan.|Research Center for Innovative Cancer Therapy, Kurume University, Kurume, Japan.
Takashi
T
Okamura
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D018951:Antigens, CD20 / Q000276:immunology; D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism; D018956:CD5 Antigens / Q000276:immunology; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002465:Cell Movement; D005260:Female; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000097:blood* / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D007143:Immunoglobulin Heavy Chains / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D008297:Male; D021381:Protein Transport; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2 / Q000378:metabolism; D013156:Splenectomy
D018951:Antigens, CD20; D018956:CD5 Antigens; D007143:Immunoglobulin Heavy Chains; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2