The Open Arthritis Journal
2010, 3 : 32-36Published online 2010 January 12. DOI: 10.2174/1876539401003010032
Publisher ID: TOARTHJ-3-32
RESEARCH ARTICLE
Role of B Cells in Rheumatic Autoimmune Disease
Musculoskeletal Research Group, Institute of Cellular Medicine, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK
* Address correspondence to this author at the Professor of Clinical Rheumatology, Musculoskeletal Group, Institute of Cellular Medicine, Newcastle University, Newcastle Upon Tyne, NE2 4HH, UK; Tel: +44 191 222 7139; Fax: +44 191 222 5455; E-mail: v.e.hogan@newcastle.ac.uk
* Address correspondence to this author at the Professor of Clinical Rheumatology, Musculoskeletal Group, Institute of Cellular Medicine, Newcastle University, Newcastle Upon Tyne, NE2 4HH, UK; Tel: +44 191 222 7139; Fax: +44 191 222 5455; E-mail: v.e.hogan@newcastle.ac.uk
ABSTRACT
There is increasing evidence that B cells can play important roles in the pathogenesis of various autoimmune diseases, either by autoantibody secretion, production of proinflammatory cytokines or autoantigen presentation. An increasing number of B cell directed therapies are in development as a possible treatment strategy of rheumatic autoimmune diseases, such as Rituximab which targets the B cell specific CD20 surface marker. This article provides an overview of the principal understandings of B cell immunology in autoimmunity and selected rheumatic autoimmune diseases.