Increased B cell activating factor is associated with B cell class switching in patients with tuberculous pleural effusion

• Published in: Molecular medicine reports Vol. 18; no. 2; pp. 1704 - 1709
• Main Authors: Wang, Xin, Liang, Kui-Di, Zhang, Jun-Ai, Liu, Gan-Bin, Chen, Zhi, Chen, Chen, Zhuang, Ze-Gang, Liu, Yu-Qing, Luo, Hou-Long, Li, Rui Xi, Zheng, Bi-Ying, Xu, Jun-Fa
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Greece Spandidos Publications 01.08.2018; Spandidos Publications UK Ltd
• Subjects: Adolescent; Adult; Age; Antigens, CD - genetics; Antigens, CD - immunology; Autoimmune diseases; B cells; B-Cell Activating Factor - genetics; B-Cell Activating Factor - immunology; B-Lymphocyte Subsets - immunology; B-Lymphocyte Subsets - pathology; Biopsy; BLyS protein; Care and treatment; Case-Control Studies; CD19 antigen; CD27 antigen; CD38 antigen; Cell growth; Cell Lineage - immunology; Cell survival; Class switching; Development and progression; Female; Flow Cytometry; Gene Expression; Genetic aspects; Health aspects; Hospitals; Humans; Immune response (humoral); Immunity, Humoral; Immunoglobulin D; Immunologic Memory; Immunological memory; Immunophenotyping; Immunotherapy; Infections; Leukocytes (mononuclear); Leukocytes, Mononuclear - immunology; Leukocytes, Mononuclear - pathology; Lymphocytes B; Male; Middle Aged; Pathogenesis; Peripheral blood mononuclear cells; Plasma; Pleural effusion; Pleural Effusion - genetics; Pleural Effusion - immunology; Pleural Effusion - pathology; Pleural fluid; Statistical analysis; Tuberculosis; Tuberculosis, Pulmonary - genetics; Tuberculosis, Pulmonary - immunology; Tuberculosis, Pulmonary - pathology; Tumor necrosis factor; United States > US
• ISSN: 1791-2997; 1791-3004
• DOI: 10.3892/mmr.2018.9073

B cell activating factor (BAFF), a member of the tumor necrosis factor family, is a key cytokine for B cell survival, a function that is essential for B cell maturation and memory. The expression levels of BAFF and its potential contribution to B cell maturation remain elusive in patients with tuberculous pleural effusion (TPE). The present study enrolled 40 healthy controls (HC) and 45 TPE patients, and investigated the levels of BAFF in the plasma and pleural effusion. Concomitantly, B cell subsets including naïve B cell (CD19+IgD+CD27‑), unswitched B cell (CD19+IgD+CD27+), switched B cell (CD19+IgD‑CD27+), total memory B cell (CD19+CD27+), plasma B cell (CD19+IgD‑CD38+CD27+) and transitional B cell (CD19+IgDdim CD38+) in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) and pleural fluid mononuclear cells (PFMCs) were assessed using multicolor flow cytometry. Finally, the associations between BAFF and each sub‑group of B cells in TPE patients were analyzed. Compared with HC cases, an increased BAFF level and elevated frequency of switched B cell were observed in the blood and pleural effusion from patients with TPE. The proportions of naïve B cell, plasma B cell and transitional B cell were lower in the PFMCs of TPE patients. Furthermore, a significant correlation was observed between the level of BAFF, and the proportion of switched B cell in the peripheral blood and pleural effusion of TPE patients. These findings indicated that the B cell profile may be different in the pleural effusion, and BAFF may activate switched B cells to enhance the humoral immune responses in patients with TPE. Further studies are required to elucidate the underlying mechanisms and determine the potential immunotherapy of the BAFF‑switched B cell axis.