title: B cell depletion in autoimmune rheumatic diseases.
abstract: Rituximab is a chimeric mouse-human monoclonal antibody, which binds to CD20, a B cell surface marker, leading to cell death by complement induced lysis and apoptosis. Since the introduction of this drug in the treatment of non-Hodgkin lymphoma, its applications have been extended to autoimmune diseases. This review summarizes the actual possible uses of this novel immune system targeted drug, and explains the mechanism of B cell depletion in autoimmune diseases.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine B and Center for Autoimmune Diseases, Chaim Sheba Medical Center, Tel-Hashomer, and Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel-Aviv University, Israel.
authors.forename: Milena
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Pitashny
authors.forename: Yehuda
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Shoenfeld
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000627:therapeutic use; D058846:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Murine-Derived; D001327:Autoimmune Diseases / Q000150:complications / Q000276:immunology* / Q000628:therapy; D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D008231:Lymphopenia / Q000150:complications / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology; D012216:Rheumatic Diseases / Q000150:complications / Q000276:immunology* / Q000628:therapy; D000069283:Rituximab
chemical_list: D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D058846:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Murine-Derived; D000069283:Rituximab