Elevation of CD5(+) B lymphocytes in schizophrenia

Background: A variety of immunologic alterations have been observed in pati ents with schizophrenia. These findings halle lent support to theories that autoimmune mechanisms may be important in some patients with the illness. The CD5(+) B lymphocyte, a B-cell subset associated with autoimmune disease , has been the subject of two previously published studies yielding dispara te results. Methods: In this study we used immunofluorescent flow cytometry to measure CD5(+) B cells, total B and T cells, and CD4 and CD8 subsets in patients wi th schizophrenia and in normal control subjects. Results: A significantly higher percentage of patients with schizophrenia, relative to normal control subjects, exhibited ail elevated level of CD5(+) B cells (27.6% vs 6.7%). Antipsychotic withdrawal had no effect on CD5(+) B-cell levels, suggesting that medication effects were nor the cause of thi s difference. Na other studied lymphocyte subsets differed between the two groups. Conclusions: A subset of patients with schizophrenia have elevated levels o f CD5(+) B cells. This finding replicates an earlier study by another group and provides further evidence suggestive of autoimmune manifestations in s chizophrenia, (C) 1999 Society of Biological Psychiatry.