Activated memory B cell subsets correlate with disease activity in systemic lupus erythematosus: delineation by expression of CD27, IgD, and CD95.
OBJECTIVE
Analysis of peripheral B cell subsets in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) has provided evidence of specific alterations, such as an expansion of CD27++ plasma cells/blasts and transitional B cells. However, memory B cells in lupus have not been thoroughly investigated, and only recently a CD27- memory B cell subset was identified in the peripheral blood of lupus patients. Focusing on CD27- B cells, this study aimed to identify abnormalities in peripheral B cell subsets in patients with SLE.


METHODS
Three independent cohorts of lupus patients were used to characterize CD27- memory B cells, using multiparameter flow cytometry and single-cell reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction of heavy-chain transcripts.


RESULTS
We identified a homogeneous subset of CD27-,IgD-,CD95+ memory B cells with an activated phenotype that was increased in patients with disease flares and that correlated with disease activity and serologic abnormalities. In contrast, the entire subset of CD27-,IgD- B cells was found to be heterogeneous, did not correlate significantly with lupus activity, and was also increased in patients with bacterial infections.


CONCLUSIONS
We conclude that CD95 is a useful marker to identify CD27- memory B cells with an activated phenotype, which might serve as a biomarker for lupus activity and as a target of further investigations aiming to elucidate the pathogenic potential of these cells and the mechanisms involved in the generation as well as regulation of this CD27-,IgD-,CD95+ memory B cell subset.
Charité Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany.
Annett M
AM
Jacobi
Karin
K
Reiter
Meggan
M
Mackay
Cynthia
C
Aranow
Falk
F
Hiepe
Andreas
A
Radbruch
Arne
A
Hansen
Gerd-R
GR
Burmester
Betty
B
Diamond
Peter E
PE
Lipsky
Thomas
T
Dörner
D000328:Adult; D016175:B-Lymphocyte Subsets / Q000145:classification / Q000378:metabolism*; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007072:Immunoglobulin D / Q000378:metabolism; D008180:Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010641:Phenotype; D018127:Tumor Necrosis Factor Receptor Superfamily, Member 7 / Q000378:metabolism; D019014:fas Receptor / Q000378:metabolism
D015415:Biomarkers; D007072:Immunoglobulin D; D018127:Tumor Necrosis Factor Receptor Superfamily, Member 7; D019014:fas Receptor