The Lymphocyte-Activation Protein 3 (LAG-3) inhibitory receptor is expressed on regulatory plasma cells (PCs). Micro-environmental cells that express LAG-3 were found to be increased during the progression of smoldering multiple myeloma (SMM). To assess the possible role of LAG-3 expression on regulatory PCs in patients with plasma cell dyscrasia. Purified Cluster of Differentiation 138 (CD138+) PCs from patients with premalignant conditions, active multiple myeloma (MM), and controls were analyzed for the expression of LAG-3 by flow cytometry. Autologous CD8+T cells were incubated with sorted LAG-3pos or LAG-3neg PCs for 24 h. The expression of granzyme (Grz) in CD8+T cells was assessed by flow cytometry. LAG-3 expression on PCs in active MM (newly diagnosed and relapse refractory MM) was significantly increased compared to monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance (MGUS)/ SMM. Grz expression was significantly decreased in CD8+T cells incubated with CD138+LAG-3pos PCs, compared to CD138+LAG-3neg PCs in patients with plasma cell dyscrasia, n = 31, p = 0.0041. LAG-3 expression on malignant PCs can be involved in the development of MM from MGUS by decreasing the expression of Grz in CD8+T cells.
Keywords: Cluster of Differentiation-8 (CD8); Lymphocyte-Activation Protein 3 (LAG-3); cell-sorting; hematological malignancies; multiple myeloma (MM); plasma cells; regulatory molecules.