Related Experiment Video
Updated: Sep 3, 2025
Detection and Enrichment of Rare Antigen-specific B Cells for Analysis of Phenotype and Function
Published on: February 16, 2017
Immunophenotypic characterization of B1a lymphocytes in Cuban older adults
Vianed Marsán Suárez1, Imilla Casado Hernández1, Elizabeth Hernández Ramos1
1Department of Immunology, Institute of Hematology and Immunology "José Manuel Ballester Santovenia", Calle 19 e/ 8 y 10, PO Box 8070, CP 10800 Vedado, Havana, Cuba.
Insights
Immunosenescence affects B1a lymphocytes in older adults. Age and sex influence B1a lymphocyte counts, with women under 80 showing higher numbers of these immune cells.
Area of Science:
- Immunology
- Gerontology
- Cell Biology
Background:
- B1a lymphocytes are crucial for T-independent antibody production and self-renewal.
- Immunosenescence, the aging of the immune system, alters lymphocyte populations throughout life.
- Understanding B1a lymphocyte changes in older adults is vital for assessing immune function in aging populations.
Purpose of the Study:
- To immunophenotypically characterize B1a lymphocytes in older Cuban adults.
- To investigate the influence of age and sex on B1a lymphocyte populations using a simplified CD19, CD20, and CD5 panel.
Main Methods:
- A cross-sectional study involving 30 institutionalized older Cuban adults.
- Flow cytometry was used to analyze peripheral blood B lymphocytes (CD19+CD5+, CD20+CD5+, CD19+CD20+).
- Data analysis involved statistical processing using GraphPadPrism, with results presented as percentages and medians.
Main Results:
- Elderly individuals aged 80 and over exhibited decreased absolute counts of CD19+CD20+ and CD19+CD5+ B lymphocytes.
- Aged individuals (80+) showed higher absolute counts of CD20+CD5+ lymphocytes compared to younger elderly (<80).
- Women consistently displayed higher absolute counts across all analyzed B lymphocyte populations (CD19+CD5+, CD20+CD5+, CD19+CD20+).
Conclusions:
- The immunophenotype of B1a lymphocytes in older Cuban adults aligns with findings from other research groups.
- Both advanced age (≥80 years) and female sex significantly impact the absolute counts of B1a lymphocytes.
- Specifically, women under 80 years of age demonstrated higher absolute counts of these critical immune cells.
Introduction:
B1a lymphocytes are characterized by having a high capacity for self-renewal and production of natural antibodies, in a T-independent manner. There are differences in both the number and composition of mature B lymphocytes throughout life, due to the phenomenon of immunosenescence.
Objective:
To characterize the immunophenotype of B1a lymphocytes in older Cuban adults with a simplified CD19CD20CD5 panel.
Methods:
A cross-sectional study was conducted in 30 institutionalized Cuban older adults. Characterization of CD19 + CD5+, CD20 + CD5+, and CD19 + CD20+ B lymphocytes in peripheral blood was performed by flow cytometry. For the reading and analysis of the biological samples, a flow cytometer, Beckman Coulter, Gallios, was used. A Microsoft Excel database was created with the information obtained. The sample was divided by sex and age. The data were processed using the statistical program GraphPadPrism version 6.00 using the percentage values and the median for the sample description.
Results:
The elderly aged 80 years and over showed a decrease in the absolute count of CD19 + CD20+ B lymphocytes, as well as in the percentage and absolute count of CD19 + CD5+ B lymphocytes. On the other hand, they presented higher absolute counts of CD20 + CD5+ lymphocytes in relation to those of the <80-year-old group. Women showed higher absolute counts of CD19 + CD5+, CD20 + CD5+, and CD19 + CD20+ B lymphocyte populations.
Conclusions:
The immunophenotypic characterization of B1a lymphocytes in older Cuban adults is similar to that reported by other researchers. Both age and sex influence the absolute count of these cells, being higher in women under 80 years of age.
