Comparison of T lymphocyte subsets in aplastic anemia and hypoplastic myelodysplastic syndromes

Life Sci. 2017 Nov 15:189:71-75. doi: 10.1016/j.lfs.2017.09.020. Epub 2017 Sep 19.

Abstract

Aims: This study aims to compare the proportion of peripheral blood T lymphocyte subsets and related blood cell and bone marrow cytology indexes between patients with aplastic anemia (AA) and hypoplastic myelodysplastic syndrome (hypo-MDS), and investigate the clinical identification significance.

Materials and methods: A total of 41 patients with AA and 46 patients with hypo-MDS were collected, and the proportions of peripheral blood T lymphocyte subsets, CD3-CD16/CD56+NK cells, CD3+CD57+T-LGL cells and CD19+B lymphocytes were detected by flow cytometry.

Key findings: The CD4+/CD8+ ratio decreased in the AA and hypo-MDS groups, and the difference was statistically significant when compared with that in the control group (P<0.05). However, there was no significant difference between AA and hypo-MDS groups (P>0.05). The proportions of CD3-CD16/CD56+NK cells and CD3+CD57+T-LGL cells in the hypo-MDS group were distinctly higher than those in the AA group (P<0.05). However, the proportion of CD19+B lymphocyte was obviously lower than that in the AA group (P<0.05). Furthermore, the proportions of reticulocytes, bone marrow progenitor cells and immature red blood cells in the hypo-MDS group were significantly more than those in the AA group (P<0.05), and the proportion of mature lymphocytes in the hypo-MDS group was distinctly lower than that in the AA group (P<0.05).

Significance: Changes of T lymphocyte subsets and the proportions of large granular lymphocytes and B lymphocytes can be utilized as indexes in the differential diagnosis between AA and hypo-MDS.

Keywords: Aplastic anemia; B lymphocyte; Flow cytometry; Hypoplastic myelodysplastic syndrome; Large granular lymphocyte; T lymphocyte subsets.

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Anemia, Aplastic / diagnosis
  • Anemia, Aplastic / immunology*
  • B-Lymphocytes / immunology*
  • Bone Marrow Cells / cytology*
  • Diagnosis, Differential
  • Female
  • Flow Cytometry
  • Humans
  • Killer Cells, Natural / immunology
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Myelodysplastic Syndromes / diagnosis
  • Myelodysplastic Syndromes / immunology*
  • T-Lymphocyte Subsets / immunology*
  • Young Adult