BMSEHA15
Published online 15 January 2010
(Haematologica 2010, 10.3324/haematol.2009.018689)
Copyright © 2010 by Ferrata Storti Foundation
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Article

Circulating human B and plasma cells. Age-associated changes in counts and detailed characterization of circulating normal CD138– and CD138+ plasma cells

Anouk Caraux1, Bernard Klein1,2,3, Bruno Paiva4,5, Caroline Bret1,2,3, Alexander Schmitz6, Gwenny M. Fuhler7, Nico A. Bos7, Hans E Johnsen6, Alberto Orfao5,8, Martin Perez-Andres5,8 for the Myeloma Stem Cell Network (MSCNET)

1 INSERM, U847, Montpellier, F-34295 France
2 CHU Montpellier, Institute of Research in Biotherapy, F-34295 France
3 Université Montpellier1, F-34967 France
4 Service of Hematology, Hospital Universitario de Salamanca, Salamanca, Spain
5 Centro de Investigación del Cáncer, University of Salamanca-CSIC, Salamanca, Spain
6 Service of Hematology, Aalborg Hospital, Aarhus University Hospital, Aalborg, Denmark
7 University Medical Center, Groningen, Netherlands
8 Service of Cytometry, Department of Medicine, University of Salamanca, Salamanca, Spain

Correspondence: Alberto ORFAO and Bernard KLEIN, Prof. Bernard Klein, INSERM U847, Institute for Research In Biotherapy, CHU Montpellier, Hospital St Eloi, Av Augustin Fliche, 34295 Montpellier. FRANCE. Phone number: +33 467 330 455, Fax number: +33 467 330 459. E-mail:bernard.klein{at}inserm.fr, Prof. Alberto Orfao, Centro de Investigación del Cáncer Avda. Universidad de Coimbra S/N, Campus Miguel de Unamuno, 37007-Salamanca. SPAIN. Phone number: +34 923 294 811, Fax number: +34 923 294 795. E-mail:orfao{at}usal.es

ABSTRACT

Generation of B and plasma cells (PC) involves several organs with a necessary cell trafficking between them. A detailed phenotypic characterization of four circulating B-cell subsets - immature-, naïve-, memory- B-lymphocytes and PC – of 106 healthy adults was realized by multiparametric flow cytometry. We show that CD10, CD27 and CD38 is the minimal combination of subsetting markers allowing unequivocal identification of immature (CD10+CD27–CD38+, 6±6 cells/µl), naïve (CD10–CD27–CD38–, 125±90 cells/µl), memory B-lymphocytes (CD10–CD27+CD38–, 58±42 cells/µl), and PC (CD10–CD27++CD38++, 2.1±2.1 cells/µl) within circulating CD19+ cells. From these four subsets, only memory B-lymphocytes and PC decreased with age, both in relative and absolute counts. Circulating PC split into CD138– (57%±12%) and CD138+ (43%±12%) cells, the latter displaying a more mature phenotypic profile: absence of surface immunoglobulin, lower CD45 positivity and higher amounts of cytoplasmic immunoglobulin, CD38 and CD27. Unlike B-lymphocytes, both populations of PC are KI-67+ and show weak CXCR4 expression.