Expression of activated molecules on CD5+B lymphocytes in autoimmune hemolytic anemia

To investigate the expression of activation molecules on CD5+B lymphocytes in peripheral blood of autoimmune hemolytic anemia (AIHA)/Evans patients. The expression of CD80, CD86, and CD69 on CD5+B lymphocytes was detected using flow cytometry in 30 AIHA/Evans patients, 18 normal controls (NC) and nine chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) patients. CD80 on CD5+B lymphocytes in untreated patients was higher than that in remission patients (P 0.05), but lower than those of CD5−B lymphocytes in remission patients and NC (P 0.05). CD80 and CD86 on CD5+B lymphocytes was negatively correlated with hemoglobin (HB), C3, C4 (P < 0.05) and positively correlated with reticulocyte (Ret) (P < 0.05). CD69 on CD5+ and CD5−B lymphocytes of CLL was higher than those of AIHA/Evans patients and NC (P < 0.05). The active molecules on CD5+B lymphocytes in peripheral blood of AIHA/Evans patients differ from those on CD5− and clonal CD5+B lymphocytes.