title: Cells of the synovium in rheumatoid arthritis. B cells.
abstract: There is significant evidence arising from experimental models that autoantibodies play a key role in the pathogenesis of inflammatory arthritis. In addition to autoantibody production, B cells efficiently present antigen to T cells, produce soluble factors, including cytokines and chemokines, and form B cell aggregates in the target organ of rheumatoid arthritis. In this review we analyze the multifaceted role that B cells play in the pathogenesis of rheumatoid arthritis and discuss how this information can be used to guide more specific targeting of B cells for the therapy of this disease.
authors.affiliation: Centre for Rheumatology Research, Department of Medicine, University College London, Cleveland Street, London, W1T 4JF, UK. c.mauri@ucl.ac.uk
authors.forename: Claudia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Mauri
authors.forename: Michael R
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Ehrenstein
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000938:Antigen-Presenting Cells / Q000276:immunology; D001172:Arthritis, Rheumatoid / Q000276:immunology*; D001323:Autoantibodies; D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D013583:Synovial Membrane / Q000166:cytology* / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D001323:Autoantibodies