title: Long-lived plasma cells and their contribution to autoimmunity.
abstract: The current view holds that chronic autoimmune diseases are driven by the continuous activation of autoreactive B and T lymphocytes. However, despite the use of potent immunosuppressants, the production of autoantibodies may persist and contribute to the autoimmune pathology. We recently demonstrated in autoimmune mice that both short-lived plasmablasts and long-lived plasma cells are involved in autoantibody production. While anti-proliferative immunosuppressive therapy and monoclonal anti-CD20 antibody deplete short-lived plasmablasts, long-lived plasma cells survive and continue to produce (auto)antibodies. Thus, strategies for targeting long-lived plasma cells may provide potent new treatment modalities.
authors: Department of Medicine (Rheumatology and Clinical Immunology), Charité-University Hospital Berlin, Schumannstr. 20/21, D-10117 Berlin, Germany.
authors: Bimba F
authors: BF
authors: Hoyer
authors: Rudolf A
authors: RA
authors: Manz
authors: Andreas
authors: A
authors: Radbruch
authors: Falk
authors: F
authors: Hiepe
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000917:Antibody Formation; D001323:Autoantibodies / Q000276:immunology; D001327:Autoimmune Diseases / Q000276:immunology; D015551:Autoimmunity; D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology; D001973:Bromodeoxyuridine / Q000378:metabolism; D002470:Cell Survival; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D005544:Forecasting; D006801:Humans; D007113:Immunity, Innate; D007700:Kinetics; D008180:Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic / Q000276:immunology; D051379:Mice; D008814:Mice, Inbred NZB; D008822:Mice, Transgenic; D010950:Plasma Cells / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D001323:Autoantibodies; D001973:Bromodeoxyuridine