SLE Antibody-Secreting Cells Are Characterized by Enhanced Peripheral Maturation and Survival Programs

Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE) is an autoimmune disease characterized by multiple autoantibodies, some of which are present in high titers in a sustained, B cell-independent fashion consistent with their generation from long-lived plasma cells (LLPC). Active SLE displays high numbers of circulat...

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Main Authors Chen, Weirong, Hong, So-Hee, Jenks, Scott A, Anam, Fabliha A, Tipton, Christopher M, Woodruff, Matthew C, Hom, Jennifer R, Cashman, Kevin S, Faliti, Caterina Elisa, Wang, Xiaoqian, Kyu, Shuya, Wei, Chungwen, Scharer, Christopher D, Mi, Tian, Hicks, Sakeenah, Hartson, Louise, Nguyen, Doan C, Khosroshahi, Arezou, Lee, Saeyun, Wang, Youliang, Bugrovsky, Regina, Ishii, Yusho, Lee, F Eun-Hyung, Sanz, Ignacio
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published United States 27.06.2023
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Summary:Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE) is an autoimmune disease characterized by multiple autoantibodies, some of which are present in high titers in a sustained, B cell-independent fashion consistent with their generation from long-lived plasma cells (LLPC). Active SLE displays high numbers of circulating antibody-secreting cells (ASC). Understanding the mechanisms of generation and survival of SLE ASC would contribute important insight into disease pathogenesis and novel targeted therapies. We studied the properties of SLE ASC through a systematic analysis of their phenotypic, molecular, structural, and functional features. Our results indicate that in active SLE, relative to healthy post-immunization responses, blood ASC contain a much larger fraction of newly generated mature CD19 CD138 ASC similar to bone marrow (BM) LLPC. SLE ASC were characterized by morphological and structural features of premature maturation. Additionally, SLE ASC express high levels of CXCR4 and CD138, and molecular programs consistent with increased longevity based on pro-survival and attenuated pro-apoptotic pathways. Notably, SLE ASC demonstrate autocrine production of APRIL and IL-10 and experience prolonged in vitro survival. Combined, our findings indicate that SLE ASC are endowed with enhanced peripheral maturation, survival and BM homing potential suggesting that these features likely underlie BM expansion of autoreactive PC.
ISSN:2693-5015