title: Synovial infiltration with CD79a-positive B cells, but not other B cell lineage markers, correlates with joint destruction in rheumatoid arthritis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The efficacy of B cell depletion in the treatment of patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) has revitalized interest in the pathogenic role(s) of B cells in RA. We evaluated the distribution of synovial B lineage cells and their correlation with histologic disease activity and joint destruction in RA.
  
  
  METHODS
  Synovial tissue samples were obtained by closed-needle biopsy from 69 Chinese patients with active RA, from 14 patients with osteoarthritis (OA), and from 15 with orthopedic arthropathies (OrthA) as disease controls. Serial tissue sections were stained immunohistochemically for CD79a (pro-B cell to plasma cell), CD20 (B cells), CD38 (plasma cells), CD21 (follicular dendritic cells), CD68 (macrophages), CD3 (T cells), and CD34 (endothelial cells). Densities of positive-staining cells were determined and correlated with histologic disease activity (Krenn 3-component synovitis score) and radiographic joint destruction (Sharp score).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Mean sublining CD79a-positive cell density was significantly higher in RA than in OA (p <0.001) or OrthA (p = 0.003). Receiver operating characteristic curve analysis showed that CD79a-positive cell density differentiated RA well from OA [area under the curve (AUC) = 0.79] or OrthA (AUC = 0.75). Spearman's rank order correlation showed significant correlations between sublining CD79a-positive cell density and the synovitis score (r = 0.714, p < 0.001), total Sharp score (r = 0.490, p < 0.001), and the erosion subscore (r = 0.545, p < 0.001), as well as the joint space narrowing subscore (r = 0.468, p = 0.001) in RA.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Synovial CD79a-positive B cells may be a helpful biomarker for histologic disease activity in RA and may be involved in the pathogenesis of joint destruction in RA.
authors: Department of Rheumatology, Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, People's Republic of China.
authors: Ying-Qian
authors: YQ
authors: Mo
authors: Lie
authors: L
authors: Dai
authors: Dong-Hui
authors: DH
authors: Zheng
authors: Lang-Jing
authors: LJ
authors: Zhu
authors: Xiu-Ning
authors: XN
authors: Wei
authors: Frank
authors: F
authors: Pessler
authors: Jun
authors: J
authors: Shen
authors: Bai-Yu
authors: BY
authors: Zhang
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D015703:Antigens, CD / Q000378:metabolism; D018951:Antigens, CD20 / Q000378:metabolism; D015214:Antigens, Differentiation, Myelomonocytic / Q000378:metabolism; D001172:Arthritis, Rheumatoid / Q000208:ethnology / Q000473:pathology*; D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology*; D015415:Biomarkers; D001707:Biopsy, Needle; D051925:CD79 Antigens / Q000378:metabolism*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D019070:Cell Lineage; D002681:China; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007719:Knee Joint / Q000473:pathology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D020370:Osteoarthritis, Knee / Q000208:ethnology / Q000473:pathology; D017464:Receptors, Complement 3d / Q000378:metabolism; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D013583:Synovial Membrane / Q000473:pathology*; D000097382:CD68 Molecule
chemical_list: D015703:Antigens, CD; D018951:Antigens, CD20; D015214:Antigens, Differentiation, Myelomonocytic; D015415:Biomarkers; D051925:CD79 Antigens; D017464:Receptors, Complement 3d; C067980:CD68 antigen, human; D000097382:CD68 Molecule