title: Correlation between B lymphocyte abnormality and disease activity in patients with idiopathic membranous nephropathy.
abstract: This study investigated the relationship between peripheral blood B lymphocytes, regulatory T-cells and T lymphocyte subsets, the distribution of B lymphocytes in the kidney, and the pathogenesis of idiopathic membranous nephropathy (IMN). Lymphocyte subsets were measured using flow cytometry in 66 patients with clinically-confirmed IMN and in 40 healthy control subjects. Compared with healthy subjects, the number of peripheral blood B lymphocytes was significantly increased in IMN patients and that of regulatory T-cells was significantly decreased, accompanied by an increased CD4(+)/CD8(+) T-cell ratio. There was no relationship between the number of peripheral blood B lymphocytes and markers of kidney function. Although the number of infiltrating B lymphocytes in the kidney of IMN patients was higher, there was no relationship with the number of peripheral blood B lymphocytes. In conclusion, there was no relationship between peripheral blood B lymphocytes and disease activity, suggesting that peripheral blood B lymphocytes are not a biomarker of disease activity and therapeutic efficacy in IMN.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Kidney Disease of the Chinese People's Liberation Army, Jingling Hospital, Nanjing University School of Medicine, Nanjing, China.
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Zuo
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: Q
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.forename: W-S
authors.initials: WS
authors.lastname: Qin
authors.forename: C-H
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Zeng
authors.forename: L-S
authors.initials: LS
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Z-H
authors.initials: ZH
authors.lastname: Liu
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D015703:Antigens, CD / Q000032:analysis; D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology; D001706:Biopsy; D016516:CD4-CD8 Ratio; D018414:CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005260:Female; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D015433:Glomerulonephritis, Membranous / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D007668:Kidney / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology; D007677:Kidney Function Tests; D018655:Lymphocyte Count; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016176:T-Lymphocyte Subsets / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology; D050378:T-Lymphocytes, Regulatory / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology
chemical_list: D015703:Antigens, CD