Population Rearrangement of B Lymphocytes Expressing Chemokine Receptors in Patients with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease

— To date, there are no drugs that can prevent progressive destruction of lung tissue and small airway fibrosis in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Therefore, molecular mechanisms of this disease are being studied. The aim of this study was to determine the chemokine receptor expression pattern of B lymphocytes from peripheral blood and airways of COPD patients. Peripheral blood was collected from 51 smokers with COPD, 21 healthy smokers, and 20 healthy non-smokers. Seven smokers with COPD and 7 healthy smokers were recruited to undergo bronchoscopy with bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL). The expression of chemokine receptors CCR5, CCR6, CCR7, CXCR3, CXCR4, and CXCR5 on the surface of blood and BAL B lymphocytes was determined by flow cytometry. It was found that the percentage of blood B lymphocytes expressing chemokine receptors CCR5 and CXCR3 was higher in smokers with COPD compared with healthy smokers and healthy non-smokers. The percentage of CD27 + B cells expressing receptors CCR5 and CXCR3 exceeded the proportion of CD27 – B lymphocytes expressing these receptors in peripheral blood of patients with COPD and healthy controls. In smoking patients with COPD, the percentage of BAL B cells expressing receptors CCR5 and CXCR3 was also increased compared with healthy smokers. There were no differences in the percentage of B lymphocytes expressing receptors CXCR4, CXCR5, CCR6, and CCR7 in both peripheral blood and BAL between smokers with COPD and healthy smokers. A greater percentage of CD27 – B lymphocytes than CD27 + B cells expressed receptors CXCR4, CXCR5, CCR6, and CCR7 in peripheral blood of smokers with COPD and healthy controls. The results of this study indicate a modification in the chemokine receptor profile of B lymphocytes in COPD.