Investigating the Frequency of the Peripheral Blood B and Transitional B Cells in the Patients with Common Variable Immunodeficiency

Background: Common variable immunodeficiency (CVID) is a heterogeneous set of immunological abnormalities including decreased serum levels of antibodies (hypogammaglobolinemia), at least for two isotopes of immunoglobulin, and impaired antibody response to infection or vaccination. Thus, it is associated with increased susceptibility to infections. This study aimed to investigate the frequency of B cells in the patients with CVID in Isfahan city, Iran. Methods: Blood samples were collected from the patients with substitutive immunoglobulin (Ig) therapy before immunoglobulin infusion. Then, peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) were isolated via Ficoll-Hypaque density centrifugation. Flow cytometry method was employed to determine the frequency and phenotype of the B and transitional B cells using the antibodies of CD19-FITC (Exebio), CD24-PE (Exebio), and CD38 PE (BD Exebio). Findings: There was significant difference in the proportion of the peripheral blood B cells in the patients with CVID, compared to the healthy subjects (P < 0.001). But, there was insignificant difference in the proportion of the transitional B cells in the patients, compared to the healthy subjects (P = 0.267). Conclusion: The results show that there is insignificant difference in the proportion of the transitional B cells in the patients with CVID, compared to control group. However, more studies should be carried out concerning mutation in the involved genes to understand more aspects of this disease.