Evaluation of Surface Morphological Changes in B Cells Using Flow Cytometry in Children with Type I Diabetes

Abstract

Background: Type 1 diabetes (T1D) is one of the most common chronic diseases among children and adolescents, characterized by an autoimmune reaction that destroys insulin-producing beta cells in the pancreas. B cells play a more complex role than just antibody production in T1D; they are involved in antigen presentation and regulation of the immune response.This study aimed to identify the immunophenotypic heterogeneity of CD19+CD27+ , CD19+CD80+, and CD19+CD24+ B cells in T1D patients and compare their proportions with those in healthy individuals.

Patients and Methods: The study was conducted on 44 peripheral blood samples from male children aged 5 to 10 years. It included 24 patients with T1D and 20 healthy children as controls. Peripheral blood mononuclear cells were isolated, and B cells were then labeled using monoclonal antibodies conjugated to fluorescent dyes and analysis was performed using Flow Cytometry.

Results: The results showed a statistically significant decrease in the proportions of all studied B cells types CD27+ , CD80+, and CD24+ in children with T1D compared to healthy children. This decrease in surface expression suggests a potential imbalance in immune balance and cellular regulation in patients.

Conclusion: The variation in the normal balance of B cells, which play an important role in regulating the immune response, suggests that these cell types may be early indicators of the onset or progression of the disease, making them potential targets for the development of immunotherapies that target modifying these cells to slow or halt the progression of diabetes.