title: Bone marrow B lymphocytes in multiple myeloma and MGUS: Focus on distribution of naïve cells and memory subsets.
abstract: Multiple myeloma (MM) is caused by proliferation of clonal plasma cells (cPCs) in bone marrow (BM), associated with numerical and functional defects in immune subsets. An impairment of B cell compartment is involved in onset/progression of the disease.
  
  
  
  By flow cytometry, we studied distribution of naïve/transitional (IgD(+)CD27(-)), memory unswitched (IgD(+)CD27(+)), memory switched (IgD(-)CD27(+)) and double negative (DN) (IgD(-)CD27(-)) B lymphocytes in BM of control subjects, and responding and relapsing patients.
  
  
  
  We observed an increased percentage of IgD(+)CD27(+) B cells in healthy controls vs responding patients (p<0.05). Treated non complete responders exhibited an expanded DN compartment vs stringent complete responders (p=0.011); in turn IgD(+)CD27(-) subpopulation was larger in stringent complete responders vs other responding patients (p=0.006). None of the studied B cell subsets showed clonal restriction. Correlation analysis revealed negative correlations between naïve/transitional and DN B cells in all groups, except in newly diagnosed subjects.
  
  
  
  This may be considered a feasible start point to explore the importance of B cells in the immunosuppressive MM BM microenvironment, correlating these findings with immunosenescence and therapy related increased risk of infection. Moreover, we propose a possible role of naïve/transitional and DN B cells as predictive markers in treated patients.
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Biopatologia e Biotecnologie Mediche, Universita' degli Studi di Palermo, Corso Tukory 211, 90134 Palermo, Italy; U.O.S.D. Laboratorio Specialistico Oncologia, Ematologia e Colture Cellulari per Uso Clinico, ARNAS Civico, Piazza Nicola Leotta 4, 90127 Palermo, Italy. Electronic address: fanny.pojero@unipa.it.
authors.forename: Fanny
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Pojero
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Scienze per la Promozione della Salute e Materno Infantile "G. D'Alessandro", Universita' degli Studi di Palermo, Via del Vespro 133, 90133 Palermo, Italy.
authors.forename: Alessandra
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Casuccio
authors.affiliation: U.O.S.D. Laboratorio Specialistico Oncologia, Ematologia e Colture Cellulari per Uso Clinico, ARNAS Civico, Piazza Nicola Leotta 4, 90127 Palermo, Italy.
authors.forename: Caterina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Giambanco
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Biopatologia e Biotecnologie Mediche, Universita' degli Studi di Palermo, Corso Tukory 211, 90134 Palermo, Italy.
authors.forename: Matteo
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bulati
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Biopatologia e Biotecnologie Mediche, Universita' degli Studi di Palermo, Corso Tukory 211, 90134 Palermo, Italy.
authors.forename: Silvio
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Buffa
authors.affiliation: U.O.C. di Oncoematologia, ARNAS Civico, Piazza Nicola Leotta 4, 90127 Palermo, Italy.
authors.forename: Francesco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Di Bassiano
authors.affiliation: U.O.S.D. Laboratorio Specialistico Oncologia, Ematologia e Colture Cellulari per Uso Clinico, ARNAS Civico, Piazza Nicola Leotta 4, 90127 Palermo, Italy.
authors.forename: Francesco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Gervasi
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Biopatologia e Biotecnologie Mediche, Universita' degli Studi di Palermo, Corso Tukory 211, 90134 Palermo, Italy.
authors.forename: Calogero
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Caruso
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Biopatologia e Biotecnologie Mediche, Universita' degli Studi di Palermo, Corso Tukory 211, 90134 Palermo, Italy.
authors.forename: Giuseppina
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Colonna Romano
mesh_terms: D016175:B-Lymphocyte Subsets; D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology; D001854:Bone Marrow Cells / Q000276:immunology*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005260:Female; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D006801:Humans; D007072:Immunoglobulin D / Q000032:analysis; D008297:Male; D008998:Monoclonal Gammopathy of Undetermined Significance / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology*; D009101:Multiple Myeloma / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology*; D018127:Tumor Necrosis Factor Receptor Superfamily, Member 7 / Q000032:analysis
chemical_list: D007072:Immunoglobulin D; D018127:Tumor Necrosis Factor Receptor Superfamily, Member 7
keywords: B cells; Flow cytometry; MGUS; Multiple myeloma