Distribution and clinical significance of B-cell subtypes and IgG subclasses in patients with non-small cell lung cancer

Abstract

Objective To analyze the distribution of B-cell subtypes and IgG subclasses in patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and to investigate their potential functions in the progress of NSCLC. Methods Flow cytometry analysis was used to detect the distribution of immature B cells, memory B cells and mature B cells in 25 healthy subjects and 55 patients who were at different clinical stages of NSCLC. Enzyme-linked immune-sorbent assay (ELASA) was performed to measure the concentrations of IgG1, IgG2, IgG3, IgG4 and total IgG, as well as the ratio of each IgG subclass in total IgG. Results The percentages of immature and memory B cells in CD19+ B cells were positively correlated with the progress of NSCLC. The ratio of IgG4/IgG gradually increased along with the development of NSCLC, while that of the other three IgG subclasses showed no significant changes as compared with that of the control group. Conclusion The imbalanced distribution of B-cell subtypes and the up-regulated ratio of IgG4/IgG were closely associated with the development of NSCLC. This study paved the way for further investigation on more effective immune therapy strategies targeting NSCLC. Key words: Non-small cell lung cancer; B lymphocytes; Immunoglobulin