title: B cell depletion in autoimmune disease.
abstract: The CD20 cell marker appears early in the process of B cell development. In this review we focus on the results of attempts to utilize B cell depletion based on the use of a chimeric monoclonal antibody (MAb) specific for human CD20, rituximab, for the treatment of patients with autoimmune diseases. In 1997, rituximab was approved for the treatment of low-grade B cell non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. Following these encouraging results, rituximab started to be used experimentally in other diseases presumed to be due to B cell pathology. The first autoimmune disease to be treated effectively was chronic idiopathic thrombocytopaenia. More recent success has been demonstrated in patients with rheumatoid arthritis and systemic lupus erythematosus.
authors.affiliation: Centre for Rheumatology, The Middlesex Hospital, University College London, UK.
authors.forename: Claire
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Gorman
authors.forename: Maria
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Leandro
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Isenberg
mesh_terms: D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D058846:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Murine-Derived; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001172:Arthritis, Rheumatoid / Q000188:drug therapy; D001327:Autoimmune Diseases / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000276:immunology; D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D007155:Immunologic Factors / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008180:Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic / Q000188:drug therapy; D016393:Lymphoma, B-Cell / Q000188:drug therapy; D000069283:Rituximab
chemical_list: D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D058846:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Murine-Derived; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D007155:Immunologic Factors; D000069283:Rituximab