title: Targeting B cells and antibody in transplantation.
abstract: There has been increasing interest in the role played by B cells, plasma cells and their associated antibody in the immune response to an allograft, driven by the need to undertake antibody-incompatible transplantation and evidence suggesting that B cells play a role in acute cellular rejection and in acute and chronic antibody-mediated rejection. A number of immunosuppressive agents have emerged which target B cells, plasma cells and/or antibody, for example, the B cell-depleting CD20 antibody rituximab. This review describes recent developments in the use of such agents, our understanding of the role of B cells in alloimmunity and the application of this knowledge toward novel therapies in transplantation. It also considers the evidence to date suggesting that B cells may act as regulators of an alloimmune response. Thus, future attempts to target B cells will need to address the problem of how to inhibit effector B cells, while enhancing those with regulatory capacity.
authors.affiliation: Cambridge Institute for Medical Research, University of Cambridge School of Clinical Medicine, Box 139 Addenbrooke's Hospital, Hills Road, Cambridge CB2 0XY, Cambridge. mrc38@cam.ac.uk; menna.clatworthy@nih.gov
authors.forename: M R
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Clatworthy
mesh_terms: D058846:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Murine-Derived / Q000494:pharmacology; D000938:Antigen-Presenting Cells / Q000276:immunology; D000961:Antilymphocyte Serum / Q000502:physiology; D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology*; D006084:Graft Rejection / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D008212:Lymphocyte Depletion; D000069283:Rituximab; D014181:Transplantation Immunology
chemical_list: D058846:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Murine-Derived; D000961:Antilymphocyte Serum; D000069283:Rituximab