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B Cells in Systemic Lupus Erythematosus

  • Chapter
Lupus

Part of the book series: Contemporary Immunology ((CONTIM))

Abstract

The principal function of B cells is the production of antibodies. In addition, B cells are also cytokine producers and efficient antigen-presenting cells (APCs). The overactivity of B cells and the production of a variety of autoantibodies comprise hallmarks in the immunopathology of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) (1–4). Some of the produced autoantibodies clearly contribute to the induction of tissue injury, whereas others represent markers of disease manifestations, or they are innocent bystanders. The study of human B cells has been hampered so far by their small numbers in the circulation, which are even fewer in the commonly lymphopenic lupus patients, their restricted life-span in vitro, and the inability to establish B-cell lines without transforming them and altering their biology. Data obtained from the study of lupus-prone mice provide us with potentially useful information, even though questions always arise whether the derived conclusions can be transferred unmodified to human disease. This chapter focuses on the contribution of B cells to the pathogenesis of human SLE, and makes reference to the murine models of lupus to clarify our understanding of the autoimmune B cell.

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Authors
  1. Stamatis-Nick C. Liossis
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  2. George C. Tsokos
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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Section on Rheumatology, Department of Internal Medicine, The Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC, USA

    Gary M. Kammer MD

  2. Division of Rheumatology and Immunology, Uniformed Services University of Health Sciences, Bethesda, MD, USA

    George C. Tsokos MD

  3. Department of Clinical Physiology, Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, Washington, DC, USA

    George C. Tsokos MD

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Liossis, SN.C., Tsokos, G.C. (1999). B Cells in Systemic Lupus Erythematosus. In: Kammer, G.M., Tsokos, G.C. (eds) Lupus. Contemporary Immunology. Humana Press, Totowa, NJ. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-59259-703-1_11

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-59259-703-1_11

  • Publisher Name: Humana Press, Totowa, NJ

  • Print ISBN: 978-1-4757-5686-9

  • Online ISBN: 978-1-59259-703-1

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