Significance of B cell subsets in peripheral blood of syphilis patients

Abstract

Objective: To determine the subpopulations of B cells in peripheral blood of syphilis patients, and its association with syphilis status. Methods: Peripheral blood was taken from untreated patients with syphilis (18 cases), syphilitic serofast patients (14 cases), serological cure patients (19 cases) and normal controls (16 cases). Mature and regulatory B cells were detected by flow cytometry. Results: Compared with normal controls, the proportions of CD19+ CD24hi CD38hi regulatory B cells were significantly lower in syphilis patients (versus normal controls, untreated: t=2.10, P0.05). Conclusions: The ratio of B cell subsets is different between syphilis patient and normal controls. Proportion of mature B cells in serofast patients is abnormal, possibly due to serofast.

Keywords

• syphilis
• regulatory b cells
• mature b cells
• serofast