The functional deficiency of B lymphocytes in patients with lung cancer is due to inadequate T-cell help and excessive suppression by T and non-T cells

• Published in: Cancer investigation Vol. 7; no. 1; p. 7
• Main Authors: Venkataraman, M, Rao, D S, Iyer, B S, Westerman, M P
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England 1989
• Subjects: Aged; B-Lymphocytes - immunology; Female; Hemolytic Plaque Technique; Humans; Lung Neoplasms - immunology; Lymphocyte Activation; Male; Middle Aged; T-Lymphocytes, Helper-Inducer - immunology; T-Lymphocytes, Regulatory - immunology
• ISSN: 0735-7907
• DOI: 10.3109/07357908909038263

The proliferative and plaque-forming cell (PFC) responses of unseparated mononuclear cells (MNC) and B- and T-cell-enriched populations of cells were analyzed in 15 patients with lung cancer to determine the mechanisms involved in the functional abnormality of their B cells. The PFC responses of the MNC of the patient group were significantly lower than those of normal controls. In addition, the enriched B cells of several patients showed a further decrease in their PFC responses after coculture with autologous T cells compared with their respective MNC responses. The proliferative response against phytohemagglutinin (PHA) was also lower in many of the patients after similar cocultures. Cocultures of patients' B cells with T cells from normal controls significantly enhanced the PFC responses in 7 patients. In most of the normal controls, B lymphocytes showed a significant decrease in their PFC responses after coculture with the patients' T cells. Although the percentages of total T cells, T-helper, and B cells were within the normal range, the number of suppressor T cells was significantly higher in the patient group. These results indicate that a combination of insufficient T-cell help, excessive suppression by both T and non-T cells, and a possible intrinsic B-cell abnormality are responsible for the B-cell functional deficiency observed in patients with lung cancer.