title: Peripheral B cell abnormalities and disease activity in systemic lupus erythematosus.
abstract: 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.
authors.affiliation: Charite, University Hospital Berlin, Berlin, Germany.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Hostmann
authors.forename: A M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Jacobi
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Mei
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Hiepe
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Dörner
mesh_terms: D001323:Autoantibodies / Q000276:immunology*; D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000166:cytology* / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D008180:Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D001323:Autoantibodies