Interleukin 6 exacerbates the progression of warm autoimmune hemolytic anemia by influencing the activity and function of B cells

To explore the effect of IL-6 on the activity and secretory function of B cells and analyze its effect on clinical indicators and efficacy in wAIHA patients. This study included 25 hemolytic wAIHA patients, 13 remission patients, and 10 HCs. Plasma levels of various cytokines were detected using CBA. PBMCs were extracted from 12 hemolytic wAIHA patients and divided into three wells, stimulation with IL-6 and IL-6 + tocilizumab, the blank control wells were also set. After 48 h of in vitro cell culture, percentage of CD5(+)CD80(+), CD5(–)CD80(+),CD5(+)CD86(+),CD5(–)CD86(+),CD5(+)IL-10(+),CD5(–)IL-10(+)B cells were determined by flow-cytometry. Plasma levels of IL-6 and IL-10 in hemolytic episode group were significantly higher than that in HCs group (p = 0.0243; p = 0.0214). RBC and Hb levels were negatively correlated with IL-6 levels in wAIHA patients, while LDH levels were positively correlated.Therapeutic effects of glucocorticoid and duration of efficacy were also significantly correlated with IL-6 levels in wAIHA patients. After 48 h in vitro cell culture, percentages of CD80(+)/CD5(+)CD19(+)and CD80(+)/CD5(–)CD19(+) cells in the IL-6 stimulation group were higher than those in blank control group (p = 0.0019; p = 0.0004), while CD86(+)/CD5(+) CD19(+) and CD86(+)/CD5(–)CD19(+) cells were not statistically different before and after IL-6 stimulation. Percentage of IL-10(+)/CD5(+) CD19(+) cells in IL-6 stimulation group was lower than that in blank control (p = 0.0017) and IL-6 + toc (p = 0.0117) group. Percentage of IL-10(+)/CD5(–) CD19(+)cells in the IL-6 stimulation group was lower than that in the blank control group (p = 0.0223). Plasma levels of IL-6 were significantly elevated in hemolytic wAIHA patients and correlated with clinical indicators and efficacy. IL-6 promotes the activation of B cells. Although the results were not statistically significant, IL-6R antagonist tocilizumab may hopefully become a targeted therapy for wAIHA patients.