B cell signalling as therapeutic target

• Published in: Annals of the rheumatic diseases Vol. 63; no. suppl 2; pp. ii65 - ii66
• Main Author: Carter, R H
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: London BMJ Publishing Group Ltd and European League Against Rheumatism 01.11.2004; BMJ; BMJ Publishing Group LTD
• Subjects: (NF)AT; (nuclear factor) of activated T cells; Autoimmune Diseases - drug therapy; Autoimmune Diseases - immunology; autoimmunity; B cell activation; B lymphocyte stimulator; B-Lymphocytes - drug effects; B-Lymphocytes - immunology; Biological and medical sciences; BLyS; Bruton’s tyrosine kinase; Btk; Diseases of the osteoarticular system; FDC; follicular dendritic cell; Humans; Immunologic Factors - pharmacology; Lymphocyte Activation - drug effects; Lymphocyte receptors; MAPK; Medical sciences; mitogen activated protein kinase; PALS; periarteriolar lymphoid sheath; phospholipase C; PLC; Rodents; Signal Transduction - drug effects; signalling pathways; Spleen; T cell receptors; therapeutic targets; TLR; toll-like receptor; Treatment; Target cell; β Cell; Signalling; Rheumatology
• ISSN: 0003-4967; 1468-2060
• DOI: 10.1136/ard.2004.028282

Again, germinal centres form but are not able to support production of specific antibodies. 27 We have found that the differentiation and proliferation of B cells in the FDC pole of the germinal centre is defective, while proliferation in the FDC-free zone is normal (Y Wang and R H Carter, manuscript in preparation). [...]different specific signals could be targeted that block specific aspects of the germinal centre response. Except in germinal centres, the switched B cells are relatively rare in the white pulp of the spleen. [...]the switched, postgerminal centre memory B cells appear to leave the spleen and likely reside in the bone marrow.