Fen Yang1, Dehui Huang2, Chen Cheng1, Weiping Wu1. 1. Department of Neurology in South Building, General Hospital of PLA, Beijing 100853, China. 2. Department of Neurology, General Hospital of PLA, Beijing 100853, China.
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: To detect the proportion of CD1d(hi)CD5⁺CD19⁺ regulatory B cells (Bregs) in peripheral blood of the patients with neuromyelitis optica (NMO), and explore whether CD1d(hi)CD5⁺CD19⁺ Bregs can play a role as a biomarker in the diagnosis of NMO versus multiple sclerosis (MS). METHODS: Flow cytometry was performed to detect the proportion of CD1d(hi)CD5⁺CD19⁺ Bregs in peripheral blood from 44 cases of NMO, 38 cases of MS, and 30 healthy controls. The serum level of aquaporin-4 antibody (AQP4-Ab) of patients with NMO was detected by indirect immunofluorescence assay. RESULTS: The proportion of CD1d(hi)CD5⁺CD19⁺ Bregs in CD19⁺ B cells and lymphocytes was significantly lower in NMO group than in MS and control groups; however, there was no significant difference between MS group and control group. The proportion of CD1d(hi)CD5⁺CD19⁺ Bregs in CD19⁺ B cells and lymphocytes was lower in AQP4-Ab-positive NMO patients than in AQP4-Ab-negative NMO patients, and the difference was statistically significant. CONCLUSION: CD1d(hi)CD5⁺CD19⁺ Bregs may be a biomarker in the differential diagnosis of NMO versus MS.
OBJECTIVE: To detect the proportion of CD1d(hi)CD5⁺CD19⁺ regulatory B cells (Bregs) in peripheral blood of the patients with neuromyelitis optica (NMO), and explore whether CD1d(hi)CD5⁺CD19⁺ Bregs can play a role as a biomarker in the diagnosis of NMO versus multiple sclerosis (MS). METHODS: Flow cytometry was performed to detect the proportion of CD1d(hi)CD5⁺CD19⁺ Bregs in peripheral blood from 44 cases of NMO, 38 cases of MS, and 30 healthy controls. The serum level of aquaporin-4 antibody (AQP4-Ab) of patients with NMO was detected by indirect immunofluorescence assay. RESULTS: The proportion of CD1d(hi)CD5⁺CD19⁺ Bregs in CD19⁺ B cells and lymphocytes was significantly lower in NMO group than in MS and control groups; however, there was no significant difference between MS group and control group. The proportion of CD1d(hi)CD5⁺CD19⁺ Bregs in CD19⁺ B cells and lymphocytes was lower in AQP4-Ab-positive NMO patients than in AQP4-Ab-negative NMO patients, and the difference was statistically significant. CONCLUSION:CD1d(hi)CD5⁺CD19⁺ Bregs may be a biomarker in the differential diagnosis of NMO versus MS.