Skip to main content

Main menu

  • Home
  • Content
    • First Release
    • Current
    • Archives
    • Collections
    • Audiovisual Rheum
    • COVID-19 and Rheumatology
  • Resources
    • Guide for Authors
    • Submit Manuscript
    • Payment
    • Reviewers
    • Advertisers
    • Classified Ads
    • Reprints and Translations
    • Permissions
    • Meetings
    • FAQ
    • Policies
  • Subscribers
    • Subscription Information
    • Purchase Subscription
    • Your Account
    • Terms and Conditions
  • About Us
    • About Us
    • Editorial Board
    • Letter from the Editor
    • Duncan A. Gordon Award
    • Privacy/GDPR Policy
    • Accessibility
  • Contact Us
  • JRheum Supplements
  • Services

User menu

  • My Cart
  • Log In
  • Log Out

Search

  • Advanced search
The Journal of Rheumatology
  • JRheum Supplements
  • Services
  • My Cart
  • Log In
  • Log Out
The Journal of Rheumatology

Advanced Search

  • Home
  • Content
    • First Release
    • Current
    • Archives
    • Collections
    • Audiovisual Rheum
    • COVID-19 and Rheumatology
  • Resources
    • Guide for Authors
    • Submit Manuscript
    • Payment
    • Reviewers
    • Advertisers
    • Classified Ads
    • Reprints and Translations
    • Permissions
    • Meetings
    • FAQ
    • Policies
  • Subscribers
    • Subscription Information
    • Purchase Subscription
    • Your Account
    • Terms and Conditions
  • About Us
    • About Us
    • Editorial Board
    • Letter from the Editor
    • Duncan A. Gordon Award
    • Privacy/GDPR Policy
    • Accessibility
  • Contact Us
  • Follow jrheum on Twitter
  • Visit jrheum on Facebook
  • Follow jrheum on LinkedIn
  • Follow jrheum on YouTube
  • Follow jrheum on Instagram
  • Follow jrheum on RSS
Research ArticleArticle

Phenotypic Changes of Lymphocytes in Patients with Systemic Lupus Erythematosus Who Are in Longterm Remission After B Cell Depletion Therapy with Rituximab

SHIGERU IWATA, KAZUYOSHI SAITO, MIKIKO TOKUNAGA, KUNIHIRO YAMAOKA, MASAO NAWATA, SONOSUKE YUKAWA, KENTARO HANAMI, SHUNSUKE FUKUYO, IPPEI MIYAGAWA, SATOSHI KUBO and YOSHIYA TANAKA
The Journal of Rheumatology April 2011, 38 (4) 633-641; DOI: https://doi.org/10.3899/jrheum.100729
SHIGERU IWATA
  • Find this author on Google Scholar
  • Find this author on PubMed
  • Search for this author on this site
KAZUYOSHI SAITO
  • Find this author on Google Scholar
  • Find this author on PubMed
  • Search for this author on this site
MIKIKO TOKUNAGA
  • Find this author on Google Scholar
  • Find this author on PubMed
  • Search for this author on this site
KUNIHIRO YAMAOKA
  • Find this author on Google Scholar
  • Find this author on PubMed
  • Search for this author on this site
MASAO NAWATA
  • Find this author on Google Scholar
  • Find this author on PubMed
  • Search for this author on this site
SONOSUKE YUKAWA
  • Find this author on Google Scholar
  • Find this author on PubMed
  • Search for this author on this site
KENTARO HANAMI
  • Find this author on Google Scholar
  • Find this author on PubMed
  • Search for this author on this site
SHUNSUKE FUKUYO
  • Find this author on Google Scholar
  • Find this author on PubMed
  • Search for this author on this site
IPPEI MIYAGAWA
  • Find this author on Google Scholar
  • Find this author on PubMed
  • Search for this author on this site
SATOSHI KUBO
  • Find this author on Google Scholar
  • Find this author on PubMed
  • Search for this author on this site
YOSHIYA TANAKA
  • Find this author on Google Scholar
  • Find this author on PubMed
  • Search for this author on this site
  • For correspondence: tanaka@med.uoeh-u.ac.jp
  • Article
  • Figures & Data
  • References
  • Info & Metrics
  • PDF
  • eLetters
PreviousNext
Loading

Abstract

Objective. Rituximab has recently emerged as a novel treatment strategy for systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). We investigated longitudinally the differentiation and phenotypic changes of peripheral B cells and T cells in patients with SLE after rituximab treatment.

Methods. Phenotypic changes on B cells and T cells in 10 patients with SLE treated with rituximab were analyzed before, 28 days after, and 2 years after rituximab treatment, and at relapse.

Results. Rituximab rapidly depleted naive and memory B cells from the peripheral blood. In the patients with prolonged remission, the memory B cells remained depleted while naive B cells recovered within 3–9 months, and the expression levels of CD40 and CD80 remained downregulated for 2 years. There was also a decrease of memory T cells relative to naive T cells, and the expression of CD40L and inducible costimulator (ICOS) on CD4-positive T cells rapidly decreased and remained downregulated for 2 years. In 1 patient, an increase in the number of memory B cells with upregulation of CD40 and CD80 expression was noted just before relapse. In another patient with relapse, however, recovery of CD4-positive memory T cells with upregulation of ICOS expression was noted, with no change in the number of memory B cells.

Conclusion. Our results suggest that the phenotypic changes of peripheral B cells result in inhibition of T cell differentiation and activation mediated by B cells and thereby bring about longterm remission of SLE. Activated memory B cells or ICOS-positive CD4-positive memory T cells reappeared in association with relapse, probably reflecting the heterogeneity of SLE.

Key Indexing Terms:
  • SYSTEMIC LUPUS ERYTHEMATOSUS
  • RITUXIMAB
  • B CELL DEPLETION THERAPY

Footnotes

  • Supported in part by a Research Grant-In-Aid for Scientific Research from the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare of Japan, the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology of Japan, and the University of Occupational and Environmental Health, Japan. Dr. Tanaka has received consultant fees from Mitsubishi-Tanabe Pharma and Pfizer Inc. and lecture fees from Mitsubishi-Tanabe Pharma, Takeda Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd., Abbott, Eisai Pharma, and Chugai Pharma.

  • Accepted for publication October 12, 2010.
View Full Text
PreviousNext
Back to top

In this issue

The Journal of Rheumatology
Vol. 38, Issue 4
1 Apr 2011
  • Table of Contents
  • Table of Contents (PDF)
  • Index by Author
  • Editorial Board (PDF)
Print
Download PDF
Article Alerts
Sign In to Email Alerts with your Email Address
Email Article

Thank you for your interest in spreading the word about The Journal of Rheumatology.

NOTE: We only request your email address so that the person you are recommending the page to knows that you wanted them to see it, and that it is not junk mail. We do not capture any email address.

Enter multiple addresses on separate lines or separate them with commas.
Phenotypic Changes of Lymphocytes in Patients with Systemic Lupus Erythematosus Who Are in Longterm Remission After B Cell Depletion Therapy with Rituximab
(Your Name) has forwarded a page to you from The Journal of Rheumatology
(Your Name) thought you would like to see this page from the The Journal of Rheumatology web site.
CAPTCHA
This question is for testing whether or not you are a human visitor and to prevent automated spam submissions.
Citation Tools
Phenotypic Changes of Lymphocytes in Patients with Systemic Lupus Erythematosus Who Are in Longterm Remission After B Cell Depletion Therapy with Rituximab
SHIGERU IWATA, KAZUYOSHI SAITO, MIKIKO TOKUNAGA, KUNIHIRO YAMAOKA, MASAO NAWATA, SONOSUKE YUKAWA, KENTARO HANAMI, SHUNSUKE FUKUYO, IPPEI MIYAGAWA, SATOSHI KUBO, YOSHIYA TANAKA
The Journal of Rheumatology Apr 2011, 38 (4) 633-641; DOI: 10.3899/jrheum.100729

Citation Manager Formats

  • BibTeX
  • Bookends
  • EasyBib
  • EndNote (tagged)
  • EndNote 8 (xml)
  • Medlars
  • Mendeley
  • Papers
  • RefWorks Tagged
  • Ref Manager
  • RIS
  • Zotero

 Request Permissions

Share
Phenotypic Changes of Lymphocytes in Patients with Systemic Lupus Erythematosus Who Are in Longterm Remission After B Cell Depletion Therapy with Rituximab
SHIGERU IWATA, KAZUYOSHI SAITO, MIKIKO TOKUNAGA, KUNIHIRO YAMAOKA, MASAO NAWATA, SONOSUKE YUKAWA, KENTARO HANAMI, SHUNSUKE FUKUYO, IPPEI MIYAGAWA, SATOSHI KUBO, YOSHIYA TANAKA
The Journal of Rheumatology Apr 2011, 38 (4) 633-641; DOI: 10.3899/jrheum.100729
del.icio.us logo Digg logo Reddit logo Twitter logo CiteULike logo Facebook logo Google logo Mendeley logo
  • Tweet Widget
  • Facebook Like
  • Google Plus One
Bookmark this article

Jump to section

  • Article
    • Abstract
    • MATERIALS AND METHODS
    • RESULTS
    • DISCUSSION
    • Acknowledgment
    • Footnotes
    • REFERENCES
  • Figures & Data
  • References
  • Info & Metrics
  • PDF
  • eLetters

Related Articles

Cited By...

More in this TOC Section

  • Prologue: Evidence Informing the GRAPPA 2021 Treatment Recommendations, by Domain
  • Immunoglobulin A Vasculitis Following COVID-19: A French Multicenter Case Series
  • Development and Validation of a Self-Administered Questionnaire Measuring Essential Knowledge in Patients With Axial Spondyloarthritis
Show more Articles

Similar Articles

Content

  • First Release
  • Current
  • Archives
  • Collections
  • Audiovisual Rheum
  • COVID-19 and Rheumatology

Resources

  • Guide for Authors
  • Submit Manuscript
  • Author Payment
  • Reviewers
  • Advertisers
  • Classified Ads
  • Reprints and Translations
  • Permissions
  • Meetings
  • FAQ
  • Policies

Subscribers

  • Subscription Information
  • Purchase Subscription
  • Your Account
  • Terms and Conditions

More

  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • My Alerts
  • My Folders
  • Privacy/GDPR Policy
  • RSS Feeds
The Journal of Rheumatology
The content of this site is intended for health care professionals.
Copyright © 2022 by The Journal of Rheumatology Publishing Co. Ltd.
Print ISSN: 0315-162X; Online ISSN: 1499-2752
Powered by HighWire