%0 Journal Article
%T Functional implications of B lymphocytes in the development of rheumatoid arthritis
%A Mar¨ªa-Carolina P¨¢ez Leal
%A Luis Miguel G¨®mez
%A Juan-Manuel Anaya
%J MedUNAB
%D 2006
%I Universidad Aut¨®noma de Bucaramanga
%X B cells play a key role in regulating the immune system by producingantibodies, acting as antigen-presenting cells, providing support toother mononuclear cells, and contributing directly to inflammatorypathways. Accumulating evidence indicates that there is a disruptionof these regulated processes in the pathogenesis of autoimmunediseases, including rheumatoid arthritis (RA). In RA there is a chronic inflammation in the affected joints leading to the development of ectopic germinal centers. A micro-environment is established which supports B cell activation and differentiation. Plasma cells may develop which secrete autoantibodies of high affinity directly into the synovial tissue. As a result, antigen/antibody complex formation, the activation of the complement cascade and the stimulation of macrophages may contribute to the destruction of joints. B cells also play a pivotal role in the activation of synovial T cells and the induction of cytokine secretion. Finally, the success of B cell depletion therapy by using monoclonal antibodies against CD20 further emphasized the importance of B cells in the pathogenesis of RA
%K B cells
%K rheumatoid arthritis
%K rheumatoid factor
%K anti-cycliccitrullinated peptide antibodies (Anti-CCP)
%K BAFF
%K anti-CD20.
%U http://caribdis.unab.edu.co/pls/portal/docs/PAGE/REVISTAMEDUNAB/NUMEROSANTERIORES/REVISTA%209%201/PAG34_44.PDF