[Defects in the immunoglobulin producing cells in bone marrow of patients with variable immunodeficiency syndrome]

The number of plasma cells, IgG+, IgA1+, IgA2+ and IgM+ cells were determined in bone marrow (BM) biopsies of 12 patients with common variable immunodeficiency syndrome (CVID) and 12 controls without signs of immunodeficiency. Controls had a median of 11 plasma cells/mm2, 76 IgG+, 76 IgA+ and 18 IgM+ cells/mm2 BM, respectively. Compared with the control group, the CVD patients showed a significant reduction of each cell type (p < 0.001). They also demonstrated a close correlation between low numbers of IgG+ and IgA+ cells in the BM and low IgG and IgA serum levels. In general, there was also a good correlation of the IgM+ cells and the respective IgM levels in the serum, except 2 CVID patients with normal IgM serum levels and subnormal numbers of IgM+ cells in the BM. Our results showed that there was an almost complete coincidence between the reduced numbers of Ig-producing cells in the BM and low serum levels of the respective Ig isotype. Thus, immunohistological analysis may be of additional help for the diagnosis of immunodeficiency.