title: Frequency of Th17 CD20+ cells in the peripheral blood of rheumatoid arthritis patients is higher compared to healthy subjects.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is considered a T cell driven autoimmune disease, therefore, the ability of B cell depleting biologics, e.g., anti-CD20 antibodies, to alleviate RA is unclear. This study examined the proportions of IL-17-secreting lymphocytes in the blood of healthy subjects and RA patients and determined if Th17 cells belong to a CD20+ subset of T cells.
  
  
  METHODS
  Fluorescence-activated cell sorting and confocal microscopy verified CD3, CD4/CD8 and CD20-staining of T cells. IL-17 secretion was determined using a commercial assay.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In healthy subjects and RA patients blood, the median percentage of total CD20+ lymphocytes was similar (7.5%; n = 6 and 10.3%; n = 9, respectively) and comprised predominantly of B cells (~ 86%). However, 2-4% of CD3+ T cells from both healthy subjects (n = 7) and RA (n = 8) individuals co-expressed CD20. The peripheral blood of healthy subjects contained few IL-17-secreting CD20+ T cells (< 0.1%; n = 6). In contrast, in RA blood a median and interquartile range % of, 24.2%; IQR 28.5 of IL-17-secreting T cells were CD20+ (n = 9; p = 0.02).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In the blood of RA patients, a greater proportion of Th17 cells are of a CD20+ phenotype compared to healthy individuals. These cells may represent an additional target for anti-CD20 therapies.
authors.affiliation: Peninsula Medical School, University of Exeter, Heavitree Road, Exeter EX1 2LU, UK. paul.eggleton@pms.ac.uk
authors.forename: Paul
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Eggleton
authors.forename: Edwin
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Bremer
authors.forename: Joanna M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Tarr
authors.forename: Marco
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: de Bruyn
authors.forename: Wijnand
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Helfrich
authors.forename: Alexandra
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kendall
authors.forename: Richard C
authors.initials: RC
authors.lastname: Haigh
authors.forename: Nick J
authors.initials: NJ
authors.lastname: Viner
authors.forename: Paul G
authors.initials: PG
authors.lastname: Winyard
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D018951:Antigens, CD20 / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism; D001172:Arthritis, Rheumatoid / Q000097:blood* / Q000276:immunology*; D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D017252:CD3 Complex / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D006801:Humans; D016130:Immunophenotyping; D020381:Interleukin-17 / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D007963:Leukocytes, Mononuclear / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D018655:Lymphocyte Count; D018613:Microscopy, Confocal; D008875:Middle Aged; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D058504:Th17 Cells / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D018951:Antigens, CD20; D017252:CD3 Complex; D020381:Interleukin-17