Evaluation of some immune functions in a patient affected by common variable immunodeficiency using luminescent techniques.

Common variable immunodeficiency is a primary immunodeficiency characterized by a failure of antibody synthesis, whose fundamental immunologic abnormality is still unknown. In our study, we evaluated some immune functions using chemiluminescence in a 32-year-old woman affected by common variable immunodeficiency. In particular, we showed an impairment of her lymphomonocyte proliferative response which was evaluated using a method based on the bioluminescent measurement of ATP. Besides, we found a reduction of her lymphomonocyte IL2 and IL4 production: the IL4 production was evaluated through an ELISA method, whereas the IL2 activity was determined by its ability to support the IL2-dependent murine T-cell line (CTLL) proliferation which was established through a method based on the bioluminescent measurement of ATP. Finally, we evaluated both yeast-induced and fMLP-induced polymorphonuclear and monocyte oxidative metabolism through a luminol-amplified chemiluminescence; these functions were within normal values. Therefore, in our patient affected by common variable immunodeficiency, we demonstrated an impairment of cellular immunity, which might contribute to the pathogenesis of the disease.