Peripheral B cell abnormalities and disease activity in systemic lupus erythematosus.
Autoreactive B cells and plasma cells appear to be of central importance in the pathogenesis of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) characterized by a plethora of autoantibodies. Recent insights into abnormalities of B cell and plasma cell compartments in human SLE have identified a number of cellular disturbances within these compartments that in part correlate with the disease activity. This review discusses these findings and the potential underlying extrinsic and/or intrinsic influences apparently driving general B cell activation in this entity.
Hostmann
A
A
Charite, University Hospital Berlin, Berlin, Germany.
Jacobi
A M
AM
Mei
H
H
Hiepe
F
F
Dörner
T
T
D001323:Autoantibodies / Q000276:immunology*; D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000166:cytology* / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D008180:Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic / Q000276:immunology*
D001323:Autoantibodies