Dynamic changes in peripheral blood lymphocyte subset counts and functions in patients with diffuse large B cell
Hongyan Hou1, Ying Luo1, Guoxing Tang1
1Department of Laboratory Medicine, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Jiefang Road 1095, Wuhan, 430030, China.
Insights
Patients with diffuse large B cell lymphoma (DLBCL) show decreased lymphocyte counts and functions, particularly CD4+ and CD8+ T cells. These levels gradually recover after R-CHOP immunochemotherapy, indicating treatment effectiveness.
Area of Science:
- Immunology
- Hematology
- Oncology
Background:
- Diffuse large B cell lymphoma (DLBCL) is an aggressive non-Hodgkin lymphoma.
- Understanding immune system dynamics during treatment is crucial for patient outcomes.
Purpose of the Study:
- To analyze lymphocyte subsets, their activities, and dynamic changes during immunochemotherapy in newly diagnosed DLBCL patients.
- To evaluate the impact of DLBCL and its prognosis on immune cell profiles.
Main Methods:
- Flow cytometry was used to detect peripheral lymphocyte subsets, phenotypes, and functions in 33 DLBCL patients.
- Dynamic changes in lymphocyte activity were monitored in 18 patients during treatment.
Main Results:
- DLBCL patients exhibited decreased CD3+, CD4+, CD8+ T cells, and NK cells compared to healthy controls, especially in high-risk (International Prognostic Index [IPI] ≥ 3) individuals.
- High-risk patients showed higher regulatory T cells (Tregs) and impaired T cell function (lower IFN-γ production).
- Lymphocyte counts and T cell functions (CD4+, CD8+) progressively decreased during R-CHOP treatment but gradually recovered after therapy.
Conclusions:
- DLBCL is associated with significantly reduced lymphocyte counts and impaired immune cell functions.
- Monitoring T cell counts and functions is vital for personalized immunotherapy and identifying prognostic markers in DLBCL.
Background:
This study aimed to analyze the lymphocyte subsets, their activities and their dynamic changes during immunochemotherapy in patients newly diagnosed with diffuse large B cell lymphoma (DLBCL).
Methods:
Patients with DLBCL (n = 33) were included in the present study. Their peripheral lymphocyte subsets, phenotypes and functions were detected using flow cytometry. The dynamic results of lymphocyte activities were available for 18 patients.
Results:
Compared with healthy controls (HCs), the counts of CD3+, CD4+, and CD8+ T cells as well as those NK cells decreased in patients newly diagnosed with DLBCL, mainly attributed to patients with high risk of prognosis assessed by International Prognostic Index (IPI) score. Lymphocyte counts didn't present significant difference between high risk (IPI scores 3-5) and low risk patients (IPI scores 0-2), but CD4+ T cells and CD8+ T cells expressed higher levels of CD28 and HLA-DR, respectively, in patients with IPI score ranging from 3 to 5. Patients at high risk harbored higher percentage of regulatory T cells (Tregs), and their CD4+ and CD8+ T cells produced lower levels of IFN-γ, reflecting an impaired cellular immune response. The dynamic changes of lymphocyte numbers and functions during treatment were further investigated. Total counts of CD3+, CD4+, CD8+ T and NK cells progressively decreased because of the cytotoxicity of chemotherapy and then gradually recovered after six cycles treatment (rituximab combined with cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine and prednisone, R-CHOP). The functions of CD4+ and CD8+ T cells recovered by the end of two cycles R-CHOP treatment, although NK cell function was not significantly affected throughout treatment. These results suggest that the counts and functions of lymphocytes are significantly decreased in patients with DLBCL, particularly those of CD4+ and CD8+ T cells.
Conclusions:
The absolute counts and functions of CD4+, CD8+ T cells, which were significantly lower in patients with DLBCL, gradually recovered after effective treatment. Therefore, combined detection of T cell counts and functions are critically important for administering effective personalized immunotherapy as well as for identifying new prognostic markers or DLBCL.
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