title: Pathogenic roles of B cells in human autoimmunity; insights from the clinic.
abstract: The pathogenic roles of B cells in human autoimmune diseases involve a multitude of mechanistic pathways and include the well-established contributions of autoantibodies and immune complexes that induce local inflammatory reactions and tissue destruction. Recent results using several novel B cell-directed therapies have provided new insights into additional roles of B cells in human autoimmunity. In this review, we will highlight some of these studies and discuss how clinical insights parallel murine models of normal immunity and autoimmunity.
authors.affiliation: Department of Immunology, One DNA Way, MS-34, South San Francisco, CA 94080 USA. flavius@gene.com
authors.forename: Flavius
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Martin
authors.forename: Andrew C
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Chan
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001323:Autoantibodies / Q000276:immunology; D001327:Autoimmune Diseases / Q000276:immunology* / Q000628:therapy; D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D007167:Immunotherapy; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation / Q000276:immunology; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D001323:Autoantibodies