Enhanced Immunoglobulin Formation of Immortalized B Cells From Hypertensive Patients

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Abstract
Increased immunoglobulin levels and leukocyte counts have frequently been reported in essential hypertension. The underlying mechanisms, however, have remained obscure. Enhanced Na+-H+exchanger activity is another frequently observed abnormality in essential hypertension that persists in immortalized B lymphoblasts and coincides with enhanced proliferation. We investigated the capacity of B lymphoblasts from essential hypertensive patients to synthesize and secrete immunoglobulins. Six B cell lines from essential hypertensive patients with enhanced Na+-H+exchanger phenotype and six cell lines from normotensive subjects were studied. Lymphocyte markers were visualized by immunostaining. Immunoglobulin secretion was analyzed by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. These cell lines did not differ with respect to B cell markers. In response to 100 nmol/L platelet-activating factor, cells from hypertensive patients proliferated distinctly more quickly and their cell number increased by 3.9±0.4-fold (mean±SD) within 4 days, whereas the number of cells from normotensive subjects increased by only 2.6±0.1-fold. Furthermore, platelet-activating factor induced average increases in IgM and IgG formation of 13.3- and 5.4-fold, respectively, in lymphoblasts from hypertensive patients, which was significantly higher than increases in cells from normotensive subjects (1.4- and 1.2-fold, respectively). Thus, lymphoblasts from hypertensive patients proliferate more quickly and secrete more immunoglobulins in response to a physiological stimulus in vitro. This may contribute to the raised immunoglobulin levels and leukocyte counts reported in vivo.