title: Increased frequency of pre-germinal center B cells and plasma cell precursors in the blood of children with systemic lupus erythematosus.
abstract: We have analyzed the blood B cell subpopulations of children with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and healthy controls. We found that the normal recirculating mature B cell pool is composed of four subsets: conventional naive and memory B cells, a novel B cell subset with pregerminal center phenotype (IgD(+)CD38(+)centerin(+)), and a plasma cell precursor subset (CD20(-)CD19(+/low)CD27(+/++) CD38(++)). In SLE patients, naive and memory B cells (CD20(+)CD38(-)) are approximately 90% reduced, whereas oligoclonal plasma cell precursors are 3-fold expanded, independently of disease activity and modality of therapy. Pregerminal center cells in SLE are decreased to a lesser extent than conventional B cells, and therefore represent the predominant blood B cell subset in a number of patients. Thus, SLE is associated with major blood B cell subset alterations.
authors.affiliation: Baylor Institute for Immunology Research, Dallas, TX 75204, USA.
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Arce
authors.forename: D G
authors.initials: DG
authors.lastname: Jackson
authors.forename: M A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Gill
authors.forename: L B
authors.initials: LB
authors.lastname: Bennett
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Banchereau
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Pascual
mesh_terms: D036541:ADP-ribosyl Cyclase; D051997:ADP-ribosyl Cyclase 1; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D015703:Antigens, CD; D018941:Antigens, CD19 / Q000096:biosynthesis; D018951:Antigens, CD20 / Q000096:biosynthesis; D000943:Antigens, Differentiation / Q000096:biosynthesis; D016175:B-Lymphocyte Subsets / Q000166:cytology / Q000473:pathology*; D002454:Cell Differentiation / Q000276:immunology; D002470:Cell Survival / Q000276:immunology; D002648:Child; D002999:Clone Cells; D005260:Female; D018858:Germinal Center / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology*; D006412:Hematopoietic Stem Cells / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology*; D006801:Humans; D007156:Immunologic Memory; D016130:Immunophenotyping; D007399:Interphase / Q000276:immunology; D008180:Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic / Q000097:blood* / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology; D018655:Lymphocyte Count; D008218:Lymphocytosis / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology*; D008231:Lymphopenia / Q000097:blood / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins; D009244:NAD+ Nucleosidase / Q000096:biosynthesis; D010950:Plasma Cells / Q000473:pathology*; D016176:T-Lymphocyte Subsets / Q000473:pathology; D018127:Tumor Necrosis Factor Receptor Superfamily, Member 7 / Q000096:biosynthesis
chemical_list: D015703:Antigens, CD; D018941:Antigens, CD19; D018951:Antigens, CD20; D000943:Antigens, Differentiation; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins; D018127:Tumor Necrosis Factor Receptor Superfamily, Member 7; D036541:ADP-ribosyl Cyclase; C498154:CD38 protein, human; D009244:NAD+ Nucleosidase; D051997:ADP-ribosyl Cyclase 1