Phenotypic and genotypic analysis of mononuclear cells from patients with Felty's syndrome
Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 8, 2026
Neutrophil Isolation and Analysis to Determine their Role in Lymphoma Cell Sensitivity to Therapeutic Agents
Published on: March 25, 2016
M J Ahern1, P J Roberts-Thomson, J Bradley
1Department of Immunology/Rheumatology, Flinders Medical Centre, Adelaide, Australia.
Insights
Felty's syndrome patients exhibit diverse peripheral blood mononuclear cell phenotypes. Some show clonal T cell receptor gene rearrangements, indicating distinct disease subsets.
Area of Science:
- Immunology
- Hematology
Background:
- Felty's syndrome, a rare autoimmune condition, is characterized by rheumatoid arthritis, splenomegaly, and neutropenia.
- Understanding the immunophenotypic and genotypic heterogeneity of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) in Felty's syndrome is crucial for disease classification and management.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the phenotypic and genotypic characteristics of PBMCs in patients with Felty's syndrome.
- To identify distinct PBMC subsets within the Felty's syndrome patient cohort.
Main Methods:
- Flow cytometry was used to analyze PBMC surface markers (CD3, Leu-7, CD16).
- T cell receptor (TCR) B chain gene rearrangement analysis was performed to assess clonality.
Main Results:
- One patient displayed an increased CD3+ Leu-7+ CD16+ PBMC subset with clonal TCR B chain gene rearrangement.
- Eight patients showed germline TCR B chain gene configuration.
- Two patients had an increased CD3+ Leu-7+ CD16- PBMC subset, while six had proportions similar to rheumatoid arthritis patients.
Conclusions:
- Patients with Felty's syndrome demonstrate significant heterogeneity in PBMC phenotypes.
- At least three distinct PBMC subsets exist: clonal expansion, polyclonal expansion, and a subset similar to rheumatoid arthritis.
- These findings highlight the complex immunological landscape of Felty's syndrome.
Abstract:
Phenotypic and genotypic characteristics of the peripheral blood mononuclear cells in nine patients with Felty's syndrome have been examined. One patient had an increased number and percentage of peripheral blood mononuclear cells with the phenotype CD3+ Leu-7+ CD16+ and showed a clonal rearrangement of the T cell receptor B chain gene. The remaining eight patients all showed a germline configuration of the T cell receptor B chain gene. In two patients an increased proportion of CD3+ Leu-7+ CD16- peripheral blood mononuclear cells (45 (SD 11)% of peripheral blood mononuclear cells) were found, while the remaining six patients had proportions of CD3+ Leu-7+ cells similar to those of patients with uncomplicated rheumatoid arthritis. These data confirm that patients with Felty's syndrome are heterogeneous, with at least three different peripheral blood mononuclear cell phenotypic subsets. One subset is characterised by a clonal expansion of an unusual lymphocyte subpopulation, another by polyclonal expansion, and the third subset has the same proportions of peripheral blood mononuclear cells as patients with uncomplicated rheumatoid arthritis.
