Open AccessSerum soluble CD23 in patients with hypogammaglobulinaemia
Author(s) -
BANSAL A. S.,
HAENEY M. R.,
COCHRANE S.,
PUMPHREY R. S. H.,
GREEN L. M.,
BHAVNANI M.,
WILSON P. B.
Publication year - 1994
Publication title -
clinical & experimental immunology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.329
H-Index - 135
eISSN - 1365-2249
pISSN - 0009-9104
DOI - 10.1111/j.1365-2249.1994.tb06074.x
Subject(s) - cd23 , immunology , immunoglobulin e , cd19 , medicine , b cell , hypergammaglobulinemia , peripheral blood , antibody
SUMMARY Serum levels of the soluble form of the low‐affinity receptor for IgE (FcERII, CD23) (sCD23) are elevated in autoimmune conditions associated with hypergammaglobulinaemia and B cell hyperactivity. Very high levels of sCD23 are found in patients with B‐chronic lymphatic leukaemia (B‐CLL) who are, however, frequently hypogammaglobulinaemic. We therefore compared the serum levels of sCD23 in healthy controls ( n = 33) with three conditions associated with hypogammaglobulinaemia (HGG) and varying B cell numbers: X‐linked agammaglobulinaemia (XLA, n = 12), common variable immunodeficiency (CVI, n = 20) and B‐chronic lymphatic leukaemia ( n = 33). Serum levels of sCD23 showed a significant correlation with the CD19 + B cell count in both normals and patients with CVI ( r = 0 65, P < 0.0001). Amongst the different clinical groups, serum levels of sCD23 were increased in the order XLA < CVI < normals < CLL (medians 2.5, 7.7, 11.1 and 540, respectively; P < 0.001 for all comparisons except CVI versus normals P < 0.03 in a one‐tailed test). In the CVI group, serum sCD23 was lowest amongst four patients with low B cell numbers. There was no overlap in sCD23 between patients with XLA and this subgroup of CVI patients. Serum sCD23 is, therefore, derived predominantly from B cells, and is significantly related to the peripheral blood B cell count.