The need for markers and predictors of Rituximab treatment resistance.
CD20-specific antibodies show remarkable therapeutic efficacy in B-cell malignancy and autoimmune diseases, but due to the occurrence of a significant treatment resistance, a critical, unmet need for improving B-cell-depleting approaches remains. A CD20 transcript variant (D393-CD20) appears to be associated with Rituximab treatment resistance in malignant B cells, but is lacking in patients with autoimmune dermatoses as shown by Gamonet et al. While CD20-specific factors certainly play a major role in the pathogenesis of Rituximab treatment resistance, the D393-CD2 transcript may greatly facilitate the development of clinical markers for monitoring the therapy in B-cell malignancies and (auto)antibody-mediated diseases. Its association with systemic autoimmune diseases should be therefore explored in further studies.
Department of Dermatology, University Medical Center Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany; BIOSS Centre for Biological Signalling Studies, Freiburg, Germany; Department of Rheumatology and Clinical Immunology, Center for Chronic Immunodeficiency, University Medical Center Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany.
Cassian
C
Sitaru
Jens
J
Thiel
D017398:Alternative Splicing; D058846:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Murine-Derived / Q000627:therapeutic use; D018951:Antigens, CD20 / Q000378:metabolism*; D001327:Autoimmune Diseases / Q000188:drug therapy; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000378:metabolism; D019008:Drug Resistance, Neoplasm; D006801:Humans; D007155:Immunologic Factors / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000069283:Rituximab; D012871:Skin Diseases / Q000188:drug therapy
D058846:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Murine-Derived; D018951:Antigens, CD20; D015415:Biomarkers; D007155:Immunologic Factors; D000069283:Rituximab
B cell lymphoma; connective tissue diseases; pemphigoid; pemphigus; vasculitides