title: Lack of expression of an alternative CD20 transcript variant in circulating B cells from patients with pemphigus.
abstract: We have identified a spliced mRNA transcript of CD20 (named D393-CD20) which was associated with resistance to RTX in primary B cell from patients with lymphoma and leukaemia. In the present work, we wished to investigate whether D393-CD20 variant was expressed by B cells from patients with pemphigus. Ten patients with bullous pemphigoid and twenty-five patients with pemphigus were included. All patients were responder to conventional immunosuppressive agents or rituximab (n = 11). Efficacy of B-cell activation by pokeweed mitogen was assessed by CD86 expression using a FACS Canto II flow cytometer. mRNA CD20 expression study was then performed using RT-PCR assay allowing first to discriminate wild-type (wt)-CD20 and D393-CD20 transcript. Although wt-CD20 expression was always detected, we were unable to detect D393-CD20, even after B-cell activation or RTX treatment. Our results suggest that D393-CD20 transcript may be a molecular marker of B-cell malignancies rather than autoimmune disease like pemphigus. Further study of RTX non-responders or non-escaping PV patients is thus still required to appreciate whether D393-CD20 expression may be detected under the pressure of RTX therapy.
authors: Inserm UMR 1098, Etablissement Français du Sang Bourgogne-Franche Comté, Besançon, France.
authors: Clémentine
authors: C
authors: Gamonet
authors: Christophe
authors: C
authors: Ferrand
authors: Natacha
authors: N
authors: Colliou
authors: Philippe
authors: P
authors: Musette
authors: Pascal
authors: P
authors: Joly
authors: Marie
authors: M
authors: Girardin
authors: Philippe
authors: P
authors: Humbert
authors: François
authors: F
authors: Aubin
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D017398:Alternative Splicing; D058846:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Murine-Derived / Q000627:therapeutic use; D018951:Antigens, CD20 / Q000235:genetics*; D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*; D005260:Female; D005819:Genetic Markers; D006801:Humans; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010392:Pemphigus / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology* / Q000628:therapy; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics; D000069283:Rituximab
chemical_list: D058846:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Murine-Derived; D018951:Antigens, CD20; D005819:Genetic Markers; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D000069283:Rituximab
keywords: CD20; pemphigus; rituximab