The frequency of CD5 B lymphocytes in the peripheral blood of patients with myasthenia gravis

J Korean Neurol Assoc > Volume 15(4); 1997 > Article

Journal of the Korean Neurological Association 1997;15(4): 839-846.

중증근무력증 환자의 말초혈액에서 CD5 양성 B형 림프구의 빈도에 관한 연구

이성현, 김지수, 이근호, 이광우

서울대학교 의대 신경과, 단국대학교 의대 신경과

The frequency of CD5 B lymphocytes in the peripheral blood of patients with myasthenia gravis

Sung-Hyun Lee, M.D., Ji-Soo Kim, M.D., Kwang-Woo Lee, M.D., Keun-Ho Lee, M.D.

Department of Neurology, College of Medicine, Seoul National University, Department of Neurology, College of Medicine, Dankook University

Abstract

A subset of human B lymphocytes expresses Leu-l(CD5), a pan T cell markers which is the equivalent of the murine Lyt-1 molecule. The CD5+ B lymphocytes produce autoantibodies such as antibodies to thy개globulin, ssDNA, and IgG(rheumatoid factor) in vitro. We studied the frequency of CD5+ B lymphocytes in the peripheral blood of patients with myasthenia gravis compared with these of controls. The heparinized venous blood were drawn from the 18 MG patients and 15 healthy controls. Mononuclear cells were isolated and stained with anti-human Leu-12/FITC(CD19) and anti-human Leu-l/PE(CD5). Following staining, the number of positive cells was determined by flow cytometry. The mean frequency±SD of CD5+ B cells in the peripheral blood of MG patients was 24.6±18.7% with a range of 4.1 to 78.5%. For controls the mean frequency was 15.1+13.4% with a range of 0 to 38. 1%. Although we could not find any significant statistical difference (p=0.0763) in the frequency of CD5+ B lymphocyte between the MG patients and controls in this study, them was significant correlation(p=0.03) between the frequency of CD5+ B lymphocytes and the serum anti-AChR Ab titer, This may suggest possible role of CD5+ B lymphocyte in the production of anti-AChR Ab and thus producing neuromuscular transmission defect in myasthenia gravis.