title: [The B lymphocytes D8/17 antigen expression and characteristics of patients with rheumatic heart disease in Guangdong].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the D8/17 antigen expression of patients with rheumatic heart disease (RHD) in Guangdong province and study the antigen's characteristics.
  
  
  METHODS
  The level of D8/17 antigen expression on B lymphocytes was determined with flow cytometry assay in 96 RHD patients and 83 unaffected controls. The percentage of B-cells expressing the D8/17 antigen having more than 10% was considered to be positive. D8/17 antigen was extracted by immunoprecipitation, and the antigen characteristics was analyzed by tandem mass spectrometry.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The mean percentage of B-cells expressing the D8/17 antigen was (85.36 ± 15.15)% in the RHD patients and (82.89 ± 4.55)% in the controls, with no significant difference between the two groups (P = 0.436). Moreover, the positive rate of the D8/17 expression was 100% in either the RHD patients or the controls. The molecular weight of D8/17 antigen was found to be 40 000 - 67 000, and the purified protein was most likely to match moesin or β-actin.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  B-cell antigen D8/17 is not associated with RHD in Guangdong province of China. Moesin or β-actin is the most likely protein to match D8/17 antigen.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Guangdong Academy of Medical Sciences, Guangdong General Hospital, Guangzhou 510080, China.
authors.forename: Jian-Guang
authors.initials: JG
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Tai-Ming
authors.initials: TM
authors.lastname: Dong
authors.forename: Zhi-Hong
authors.initials: ZH
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Rong
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Jian
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Su
authors.forename: Hong-Sui
authors.initials: HS
authors.lastname: Wu
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007519:Isoantigens / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012214:Rheumatic Heart Disease / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: C082034:B-cell alloantigen D8-17; D007519:Isoantigens