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The Isolation, Differentiation, and Quantification of Human Antibody-secreting B Cells from Blood: ELISpot as a Functional Readout of Humoral Immunity
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Changes of human B and B-1a peripheral blood lymphocytes with age

Dino Veneri1, Massimo Franchini, Antonio Vella

  • 1Section of Hematology, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Verona, Verona, Italy. dino.veneri@univr.it

Hematology (Amsterdam, Netherlands)
|July 27, 2007
PubMed

Insights

Human B-lymphocyte counts rise in infancy and decline through adulthood. This study tracked B-1a cells, finding similar age-related changes in these crucial immune cells.

Area of Science:

  • Immunology
  • Hematology
  • Human Aging Research

Background:

  • Peripheral B-lymphocytes and B-1a cells play critical roles in immune responses.
  • Understanding age-related changes in lymphocyte populations is essential for immune health.
  • Previous research has not fully elucidated the longitudinal behavior of these specific cell types throughout the human lifespan.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the age-dependent dynamics of total peripheral B-lymphocytes and the B-1a (CD5+) subset in humans.
  • To quantify changes in CD19+ and CD5/CD19 double positive cells across different age groups.
  • To explore potential physiological and disease-related implications of observed B-cell subset behaviors.

Main Methods:

  • Analysis of peripheral blood samples from 2057 consecutive subjects admitted to Verona University Hospital.
  • Flow cytometry was used to determine the absolute counts of CD19+ (total B-lymphocytes) and CD5/CD19 double positive (B-1a) cells.
  • Subjects spanned from infancy through adulthood and older age.

Main Results:

  • The absolute number of total B-lymphocytes significantly increased from birth, peaking in the first year of life, then progressively decreased into adulthood.
  • A slower decline in total B-lymphocytes was observed from adulthood onwards.
  • The B-1a subset exhibited a similar pattern of increase in infancy and subsequent decrease, with a more pronounced decline after reaching adulthood.

Conclusions:

  • Human B-lymphocyte populations, including the functionally distinct B-1a subset, undergo significant quantitative changes throughout the lifespan.
  • The observed decline in B-lymphocytes with aging may have implications for immune function and susceptibility to age-related diseases.
  • Further research is warranted to explore the precise physiological mechanisms and clinical relevance of these age-associated B-cell dynamics.

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