REVIEW - Role of B cells in SLE and RA

[Guest guest]

Curr Opin Immunol. 2008 Sep 2. [Epub ahead of print]

Role of B cells in systemic lupus erythematosus and rheumatoid arthritis.

Mandik-Nayak L, Ridge N, Fields M, Park AY, son J.

Lankenau Institute for Medical Research, 100 Lancaster Avenue,

Wynnewood, PA 19096, United States.

B cell tolerance to many self-proteins is actively maintained by

either purging self-reactive B receptors through clonal deletion and

receptor editing, or by functional silencing known as anergy. However,

these processes are clearly incomplete as B cell driven autoimmune

diseases still occur. The significance of B cells in two such

diseases, rheumatoid arthritis and systemic lupus erythematosus, is

highlighted by the ameliorative effects of B cell depletion. It

remains to be determined, however, whether the key role of the B cell

in autoimmune disease is autoantibody production or another

antibody-independent function.

PMID: 18775493

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18775493

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Not an MD