The role of CD19+ CD24hiCD27hi regulatory B cells in the severity assessment of acute pancreatitis
Objective 
To investigate the prognostic value of regulatory B cells (Bregs) in patients with acute pancreatitis. 
 
 
Methods 
Flow cytometry analysis was performed to detected the percentages of CD19+ IL-10+ and CD19+ CD24hiCD27hi Bregs in peripheral blood samples collected from patients with acute pancreatitis (36 cases with mild acute pancreatitis and 15 cases with severe acute pancreatitis) as well as the surface costimulatory molecules including CD80 and CD86 on CD19+ CD24hiCD27hi Bregs. Their correlations with lymphocytes and C-reactive protein (CRP) were further analyzed. 
 
 
Results 
The numbers of lymphocytes, CD19+ lymphocytes, CD19+ IL-10+ and CD19+ CD24hiCD27hi Bregs in peripheral blood samples collected from patients with severe and mild acute pancreatitis as well as the mean fluorescence intensities (MFI) of CD80 and CD86 were significantly lower than those from healthy subjects. Compared with patients with mild acute pancreatitis, the numbers of lymphocytes and CD19+ lymphocytes, the absolute numbers of CD19+ IL-10+ and CD19+ CD24hiCD27hi Bregs as well as the mean fluorescence intensities (MFI) of CD80 and CD86 in patients with severe acute pancreatitis were significantly decreased. The percentages of CD19+ IL-10+ and CD19+ CD24hiCD27hi Bregs in patients with mild acute pancreatitis were significantly increased after an initial drop, but in patients with severe acute pancreatitis those values were continuously decreased along with the disease progression. The percentage of CD19+ IL-10+ Bregs was positively correlated with the percentage of CD19+ CD24hiCD27hi Bregs and the absolute number of CD19+ lymphocytes, but was negatively correlated with CRP. 
 
 
Conclusion 
The abnormal number and function of CD19+ IL-10+ and CD19+ CD24hiCD27hi Bregs might be one of the important reasons causing immune dysfunction in patients with acute pancreatitis. 
 
 
Key words: 
Acute pancreatitis; Regulatory B cell; Flow cytometry; Interleukin-10; Costimulatory molecule