Changes of B cell subsets characterized with CD27 and CD38 phenotypes in peripheral blood of myasthenia gravis patients

Abstract

Objective To investigate the clinical significance of peripheral B-cell subsets with CD27 and CD38 phenotypes in myasthenia gravis (MG) patients. Methods Peripheral blood samples of 43 MG patients and 38 health controls (HC) from January 2016 to Decamber 2018 were collected in this study. Peripheral CD27⁺CD38^- , CD27⁺CD38⁺ , CD27^-CD38⁺ and CD27^-CD38^- B-cell subsets were detected through flow cytometer and tricolor fluorescence labeling. Results Percentages of CD27⁺CD38^- and CD27⁺CD38⁺ B lymphocytes were increased but CD27^-CD38⁺B-cell percentage was decreased in MG patients compared with those in HC (P = 0.000; P = 0.000; P = 0.001). Elevated percentages of CD27⁺CD38^-B cells were found in MG patients compared with MG patients (P = 0.031). However, patients with thymoma demonstrated had lower CD27^-CD38⁺B-cell percentages than patients with normal thymus (P = 0.026). CD27⁺CD38^- and CD27⁺CD38⁺ B cells were enriched in patients with myasthenic crisis compared with patients without crisis (P = 0.017; P = 0.011). In addition, after the treatment of methylprednisolone, the Quantitative Myasthenia Gravis Score (QMGS) was decreased (P = 0.012), the CD27⁺CD38⁺ B cells reduced (P = 0.034) and CD27⁺CD38^- B celsl elevated (P = 0.006). Meanwhile, percentages of CD27⁺CD38^- B cells were significantly correlated with disease severities in MG patients (r_s = 0.394, P = 0.009). Conclusions Abnormal changes of B-cell subsets with CD27 and CD38 phenotypes were observed and closely associated with disease severities in MG patients. These findings suggested that aberrancy of B-cell subsets may be involved in the progression of MG.