CD5 positive B lymphocytes in schizophrenia: no alteration in numbers or percentage as compared with control subjects

Some patients with autoimmune disease have an elevation of the B lymphocyte population bearing the CD5 marker. In an attempt to replicate an earlier report of elevated CD5+ B cells in schizophrenic patients, lymphocytes were phenotyped in 116 patients with schizophrenia and 166 control subjects. The CD5+ B lymphocyte population was not elevated in medicated or never-medicated patients as compared with control subjects of similar age, race, gender, or social class. CD5+ B cells were also not elevated in patients who had circulating autoantibodies. The CD5+ B lymphocyte population was significantly elevated in African-American control subjects and patients in comparison with that in Caucasian control subjects and patients. Thus, although other immune alterations characterized a subset of patients with schizophrenia, an elevation of the CD5+ B lymphocyte population was not found in this study.