Sensitive B-cell receptor repertoire analysis shows repopulation correlates with clinical response to rituximab in rheumatoid arthritis.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Although B-cell depleting therapy in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is clearly effective, response is variable and does not correlate with B cell depletion itself.

Methods

The B-cell receptor (BCR) repertoire was prospectively analyzed in peripheral blood samples of twenty-eight RA patients undergoing rituximab therapy. Timepoints of achieved BCR-depletion and -repopulation were defined based on the percentage of unmutated BCRs in the repertoire. The predictive value of early BCR-depletion (within one-month post-treatment) and early BCR-repopulation (within 6 months post-treatment) on clinical response was assessed.

Results

We observed changes in the peripheral blood BCR repertoire after rituximab treatment, i.e., increased clonal expansion, decreased clonal div

SUBMITTER: Pollastro S 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10943808 | biostudies-literature | 2024 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature