UC Irvine

Primary selective IgM deficiency (SIGMD) is a rare and recently IUIS-recognized primary immunodeficiency disease with increased susceptibility to infections, allergy, and autoimmune diseases. The pathogenesis of selective IgM remains unclear. The objective of the study was to understand the pathogenesis of selective IgM deficiency via a comprehensive analysis of subsets of B cells, naïve and memory subsets of CD4+ and CD8+ T cells, and Breg, CD4Treg, and CD8Treg cells. Twenty adult patients with SIGMD (serum IgM 4 mg/dl-32 mg/dl) and age-and gender-matched healthy controls were studied. Naïve B cells, transitional B cells, marginal zone B cells, germinal center B cells, IgM memory B cells, switched memory B cells, plasmablasts, CD21(low) B cells, B1 cells, CXCR3+ naive and memory B cells; naïve, central memory, and effector memory subsets of CD4+ and CD8+ T cells, and CD4Treg, CD8Treg and Breg were phenotypically analyzed using multicolor flow cytometry. A significant increase in CD21(low), IgM memory B cells, Breg and CD8Treg, and a significant decreased in germinal center B cells, and CXCR3+ naïve and memory B cells were observed in SIGMD. These alterations in subsets of B cells, and Breg and CD8Treg cells may play a role in the pathogenesis of SIGMD.