Specific expression of CD16 on neutrophils in patients with paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria

Objective:To investigate the expression of CD16 on neutrophils in paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria(PNH) and evaluate its significance.Methods:The CD16 expression of peripheral blood neutrophils from forty healthy blood donors as control and thirty-six cases with PNH were measured by flow cytometry.The comparative study was carried on with CD55,CD59 and traditional Ham′s test.Results:Compared with normal controls,the expressions of CD16,CD55 and CD59 in patients with PNH were deficient at different degrees,the difference was of statistical significance(P0.01).Its accuracy was more high and specific than Ham′s test.Conclusions:PNH is related with a deficiency of glycosylphosphatidylinositol-anchored proteins CD16.CD16 assay on peripheral blood neutrophils by flow cytometry is a sensitive and specific method for PNH diagnosis and it may have an important clinical significance for diagnosis of PNH patients.