Gene Expression Profiles of CD21low B cells in Common Variable Immunodeficiency

The homeostasis of circulating B cell subsets in the peripheral blood of healthy adults is well regulated, but in disease it can be severely disturbed. Thus, a subgroup of patients with common variable immunodeficiency (CVID) presents with an extraordinary expansion of an unusual B cell population characterized by the low expression of CD21. Since these circulating atypical B cells in the blood of CVID patients could not be assigned to any certain B cell differentiation stage in the periphery, they were designated as CD21low B cells. Although, CD21low B cells are polyclonal and unmutated IgM+IgD+ B cells like naive B cells in the peripheral blood, they reveal several distinct phenotypic and functional features.

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Rakhmanov M, Keller B, Gutenberger S, Foerster C, Hoenig M, Driessen G, van der Burg M, van Dongen JJ, Wiech E, Visentini M, Quinti I, Prasse A, Voelxen N, Salzer U, Goldacker S, Fisch P, Eibel H, Schwarz K, Peter HH, Warnatz K