Altered functional B cell subset populations in patients with CFS compared to healthy controls

Bradley, A. S., Ford, B. and Bansal, A. S. (2013), Altered functional B cell subset populations in patients with chronic fatigue syndrome compared to healthy controls. Clinical & Experimental Immunology, 172: 73–80. doi: 10.1111/cei.12043

Bradley AS, Ford B, Bansal AS.
Department of Immunology, St Helier University Hospital NHS Trust, Carshalton, Surrey, UK.
Article first published online: 10 MAR 2013

Summary

Chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) is a heterogeneous disorder of unknown aetiology characterized by disabling fatigue, headaches, sleep disturbance and several other symptoms. The onset of CFS may follow a viral infection or period of stress.

Patients with CFS do not have hypogammaglobulinaemia, predisposition to recurrent bacterial infections or symptoms of autoimmunity. To date, defects in B cell numbers or function have not been shown in the literature.

However, treatment with anti-B cell therapy using Rituximab has recently shown benefit to CFS patients. We therefore postulated that patients with CFS had a subtle humoral immune dysfunction, and performed extended B cell immunophenotyping.

We undertook a detailed characterization of the proportions of the different B cell subsets in 33 patients with CFS fulfilling the Canadian and Fukada criteria for CFS and compared these with 24 age- and gender-matched healthy controls (HC). CFS patients had greater numbers of naive B cells as a percentage of lymphocytes: 6·3 versus 3·9% in HC (P = 0·034), greater numbers of naive B cells as a percentage of B cells: 65 versus 47% in controls (P = 0·003), greater numbers of transitional B cells: 1·8 versus 0·8% in controls (P = 0·025) and reduced numbers of plasmablasts: 0·5 versus 0·9% in controls (P = 0·013).

While the cause of these changes is unclear, we speculate whether they may suggest a subtle tendency to autoimmunity.

Eco

Maybe a moderator can edit the thread title to add the remaining words that got chopped off "healthy controls"

This one's also been discussed at http://forums.phoenixrising.me/index.php?threads/me-cfs-b-cell-study-rituximab-implications.20829/

Interesting as the Article first published online: 10 MAR 2013. I did a search and it did not come up on PR under the title heading. The pubmed has it showing Clin Exp Immunol. 2013 Apr;172(1):73-80. doi: 10.1111/cei.12043.
So I don't know?

Eco

I have a problem with the above claims. As autoimmune diseases produce a wide range of symptoms depending on what aspect of the physiology they affect, what do the authors mean by "do not have...symptoms of autoimmunuty"? It seems an odd thing to say, especially as other researchers have found evidence of autoimmunity.

http://forums.phoenixrising.me/inde...gue-syndrome-compared-to-h.22336/#post-341211

Is this Epstein Barr causing these blood results? I have a hard time understanding scientific studies. I have been trying to read up on Epstein Barr. From what I am reading, it seems that Epstein Barr infects memory B-Cells (which I believe are a group of mature B-cells and most naive B-Cells remain uninfected). The immune system then sends out cytotoxic T-Cells to kill the infected B-Cells. Is there anyone with a science background here? Could these blood test results be because of chronic Epstein Barr infection?

Memory B-cells are the cells that change into plasma blasts, correct?

http://jem.rupress.org/content/190/4/567.abstract

http://jvi.asm.org/content/78/10/5194.full

The EBV has been studied for many years and depending on what point or where they are studying the virus something new and most substantial appears to be evolving from the EBV and. the HHV 6A & 6B now. My gut feeling still thinks there is a genetic polymorphism in the immune system that is just sitting there and then here comes the trigger. Can it be un-cocked or can it repaired and heal??? There are a lot of people waiting a on this answer or another one.

This paper is interesting and I hope we see more on B-cells on larger samples. I'd also love for someone to produce an article reviewing all the EBV research as it relates to ME/CFS.