title: B cell modulation in rheumatology.
abstract: While evidence of dysregulation of the B cell compartment was first demonstrated with the identification of autoantibodies, other functional roles of B lymphocytes in autoimmune pathogenesis have generally been underappreciated or completely overlooked. With the recent approval of the first B cell targeting agent in rheumatoid arthritis, new strategies are being developed to target B cells through a range of membrane-associated lineage-specific molecules and also by interfering with B-cell-specific pro-survival signals. B-cell-directed agents therefore provide an effective new mechanistic approach to treatment and also enable new perspectives from the dissection of the contributions of B cells in physiologic and pathologic immune responses.
authors.affiliation: Rheumatic Diseases Core Center, University of California, San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive, La Jolla, CA 92093-0663, USA. gsilverman@ucsd.edu
authors.forename: Gregg J
authors.initials: GJ
authors.lastname: Silverman
authors.forename: Sahil
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Khanna
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000008:administration & dosage; D018951:Antigens, CD20 / Q000187:drug effects; D001172:Arthritis, Rheumatoid / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000276:immunology; D001327:Autoimmune Diseases / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000276:immunology; D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D002462:Cell Membrane / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D002470:Cell Survival / Q000187:drug effects; D016503:Drug Delivery Systems; D006801:Humans; D008024:Ligands; D011947:Receptors, Antigen, B-Cell / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D018951:Antigens, CD20; D008024:Ligands; D011947:Receptors, Antigen, B-Cell