B cells from 25 patients with common variable immunodeficiency (CVI) were tested for their ability to differentiate under the influence of B cell differentiation factors (BCDF), derived from T cell hybridomas or T cell clones. 11 patients generated Ig plaque-forming cells in the range comparable to that of normal controls with supernatant from the T cell hybrid MOP 1L. With various hybrid or clone supernatants, differing response patterns emerged. Four patients who failed to respond to MOP 1L responded to T cell clone supernatant RAC. Another who failed to respond to both MOP 1L and RAC responded to T cell hybrid supernatant MTP 7. These results indicate that these supernatants contain different BCDFs and suggest heterogeneity in the differentiation states of B cells in CVI. In addition, three patients demonstrated exaggerated responses to BCDF, and evidence was obtained from B cells of these patients for increased BCDF receptor density. Thus, the accumulated evidence indicates that T cell defects may be a primary pathogenetic mechanism in common variable immunodeficiency, and purified BCDF may be of therapeutic value.
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Mayer et al. (1984) studied this question.