In recent years, in the COVID-19 and the popularization of vaccination, the word "immunity" has been mentioned more and more, and people have gradually realized the importance of immune function. Lymphocyte subgroup analysis is an important indicator for testing immune function - it can generally reflect the current immune function, state and balance level of the body, and can assist in the diagnosis of certain diseases, such as autoimmune diseases, immunodeficiency diseases, malignant tumors, hematological diseases, allergic diseases, etc., which is of great significance for analyzing the pathogenesis, observing the curative effect and monitoring the prognosis. Today, as a blood transfusion doctor, I would like to share with you the importance of detecting lymphocyte subsets.
1、 What is lymphocyte subpopulation? Immune cells are an important component of the human immune system. The number of white blood cells and lymphocytes in blood routine can be used to preliminarily evaluate immunity, but the basic immune status still needs to be reflected through lymphocyte subpopulations. The lymphocyte subpopulations mainly consist of T lymphocytes, B lymphocytes, and NK cells. Lymphocytes include T cells, B cells, NK cells, etc. T cells mainly participate in cellular immunity and express CD3 antigen. Among them, T cells include helper T cells (Th) and cytotoxic T cells (Tc), which express CD4 and CD8, respectively. B cells mainly participate in humoral immunity and express CD19 antigen; NK cells express CD16 and/or CD56, which spontaneously exert cytotoxic effects in the body without relying on antigen stimulation.
2、 The importance of detecting lymphocyte subsets
(I) Diagnosis and monitoring of diseases
1. HIV/AIDS
CD4+T cells are one of the targets of HIV (AIDS virus) attacks. As HIV infection progresses, the number of CD4+T cells will gradually decrease. By detecting the number of CD4+T cells, we can determine whether there is AIDS infection and track the progress of the disease.
2. The detection of lymphocyte subsets is also crucial for the diagnosis and monitoring of cancer. Cancer can cause changes in the quantity and quality of lymphocytes, especially in T cell populations. Therefore, detecting lymphocyte subsets can help determine the type and stage of cancer and track treatment efficacy.
3. Autoimmune diseases
In autoimmune diseases, the human immune system attacks its own tissues and organs, which may lead to changes in the number and proportion of lymphocytes. Detecting lymphocyte subsets can help doctors diagnose autoimmune diseases and monitor treatment outcomes.
（2） Predicting treatment efficacy
1. Immunotherapy
Immunotherapy is a treatment method targeting tumor cells. It suppresses the growth and spread of cancer cells by enhancing the patient's own immune system. The advantage of immunotherapy is that it has fewer side effects and significant therapeutic effects for certain types of tumors. Common methods of immunotherapy include interleukin, interferon, interleukin-2, and checkpoint inhibitors.
2. Chemotherapy and radiotherapy
Chemotherapy and radiotherapy are common treatment methods. As for chemotherapy, it kills cancer cells by using chemical drugs, but it also affects normal cells. Radiotherapy uses high-energy radiation to kill tumor cells, but it can also have side effects on the body. The therapeutic effects and side effects of these two methods are related to the patient's physical condition and treatment plan.
3. Other treatment methods
In addition to the above methods, there are other treatment methods such as surgical treatment, hormone therapy, and targeted therapy. Surgical treatment can eliminate cancer cells by removing tumor tissue, but it causes significant damage to the surgical site. Hormone therapy uses hormone modulators to inhibit tumor growth. Targeted therapy interferes with the growth and proliferation of tumor cells by targeting specific cells or molecules.
3、 The methods for detecting lymphocyte subsets mainly include flow cytometry and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.
Flow cytometry is a measurement method based on the expression of molecular features on the cell surface. This method uses cell markers and fluorescent dyes to quickly and accurately analyze the number and types of lymphocyte subsets. Its principle is to use flow cytometry beam focusing to pass through individual cells, while detecting cell surface or intrinsic markers to obtain characteristic information of the cells. This method can simultaneously measure the quantity and characteristics of multiple lymphocyte subpopulations. The method steps include sample processing, cell staining, flow cytometry detection, and data analysis. Special attention should be paid to avoiding accidental damage and contamination of cells when processing samples to ensure the accuracy of measurement results.
Enzyme linked immunosorbent assay is a commonly used method for detecting the concentration, content, or activity of certain substances. This method is mainly based on the specific binding reaction between antigens and antibodies, using enzyme labeled antibodies or antigen characteristics to ultimately detect specific substances in the sample. The enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay is mainly based on the principle of specific binding reactions between antigens and antibodies. The steps of this method include preparing samples, preparing microporous plates, adding reagents, incubating reactions, washing plates, adding substrates, and measuring absorbance. During the operation, it is necessary to pay attention to some issues, such as sample processing, selection and storage of reagents, and control of reaction conditions.
With the continuous updating of technology, the detection of lymphocyte subsets is also constantly improving. Traditional flow cytometry has been replaced by faster and more accurate multi parameter flow cytometry. In addition, new biomarker and gene editing technologies will also advance the detection of lymphocyte subsets, thereby improving the diagnosis and treatment of diseases. The future of lymphocyte subpopulation detection is still full of challenges and opportunities. In terms of technology, more portable, automated, and intelligent detection equipment will become a trend. In addition, biological big data will provide tremendous support and assistance for the development of lymphocyte subpopulation detection technology. The research on lymphocyte subpopulation detection in the medical field will also deepen, from the cellular level to the molecular level and even deeper.
The above is my personal understanding of the importance of detecting lymphocyte subsets. If there are any shortcomings, please criticize and correct them!