B cell subset distribution in human bone marrow is stable and similar in left and right femur: An instructive case

PLoS One. 2019 Feb 22;14(2):e0212525. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0212525. eCollection 2019.

Abstract

The bone marrow (BM) is, in addition to being the site of B cell development, a tissue that harbors long-lived plasma cells (PC), the cells that protect the body against foreign antigens by continuous production of antibodies. Nothing is known about the long-term stability and functionality of both B cells and PC in the BM at the individual donor level since repeated sampling possibilities outside of oncology are scarce. Here, we had the opportunity to obtain BM samples from a patient undergoing bilateral total hip arthroplasty half a year apart. We observed that the frequencies of the analyzed B cell and PC subsets were similar despite a time of six months in between and sampling on left and right side of the body. Additionally, B cell receptor stimulation led to comparable results. Our data suggest that composition and functionality of B cells are stable in the BM of adults at the individual donor level.

Publication types

  • Case Reports
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Arthroplasty, Replacement, Hip
  • B-Lymphocyte Subsets / cytology*
  • B-Lymphocyte Subsets / immunology
  • Bone Marrow Cells / cytology*
  • Bone Marrow Cells / immunology
  • Female
  • Femur / cytology
  • Humans
  • Middle Aged
  • Osteoarthritis, Hip / surgery
  • Plasma Cells / cytology
  • Plasma Cells / immunology
  • Time Factors

Grants and funding

We acknowledge support from the German Research Foundation (DFG) and the Open Access Publication Fund of Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin. The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.