RT Journal Article SR Electronic T1 Abatacept Reduces Levels of Switched Memory B Cells, Autoantibodies, and Immunoglobulins in Patients with Rheumatoid Arthritis JF The Journal of Rheumatology JO J Rheumatol FD The Journal of Rheumatology SP 666 OP 672 DO 10.3899/jrheum.130905 VO 41 IS 4 A1 Mirko Scarsi A1 Lucia Paolini A1 Doris Ricotta A1 Antonio Pedrini A1 Silvia Piantoni A1 Luigi Caimi A1 Angela Tincani A1 Paolo AirĂ² YR 2014 UL http://www.jrheum.org/content/41/4/666.abstract AB Objective. Abatacept (ABA) is a chimeric molecule, able to block the CD28-mediated costimulatory pathway. To evaluate the hypothesis that, through this mechanism of action, ABA may down-modulate the immune responses of B lymphocytes in rheumatoid arthritis (RA), we investigated the serum levels of immunoglobulins (Ig), free light chains (FLC), anticitrullinated protein antibodies (ACPA), and rheumatoid factor (RF), as well as the number of B lymphocytes differentiated into post-switch memory cells in patients treated with ABA. Methods. The serum levels of Ig, FLC, different ACPA, RF isotypes, and the B cell phenotype were longitudinally evaluated in 30 patients with RA treated with ABA. Results. At baseline, the proportion of total and post-switch memory B cells was lower in RA than in healthy individuals. After 6 months of ABA treatment we observed significant reductions of serum levels of IgG, IgA, and IgM, as well as FLC, with a normalization in many patients who had initially abnormal values. A significant reduction of the titers of IgG- and IgA-ACPA, as well as of IgM-, IgA-, and IgG-RF was also observed. A decrease of autoantibodies below the upper limits of normal values was found in 2 of 26 patients (8%) initially seropositive for IgG-ACPA, 1 of 14 (7%) for IgA-ACPA, 5 of 22 (23%) for IgM-RF, 7 of 22 (30%) for IgA-RF, and 5 of 16 (31%) for IgG-RF. After treatment, the proportion of circulating post-switch memory B cells was also further significantly decreased. Conclusion. ABA treatment in patients with RA can reduce signs of polyclonal B cell activation, inducing a trend toward normalization of serum levels of different classes of Ig and of FLC, decreasing titers of ACPA and RF, and percentages of post-switch memory B cells.