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Altered frequencies of memory B cells in new-onset systemic lupus erythematosus patients

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Abstract

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a chronic systemic autoimmune disease, characterized by B cell hyperactivity and pathogenic autoantibodies formation. The objective of this study is to evaluate the distribution of B cell subsets in patients with SLE. We included patients with SLE followed in First Affiliated Hospital of Xi’an JiaoTong University, Xi’an, China. Flow cytometry was used to measure frequencies of B cell subsets, including memory B cells, switched memory B cells, non-switched memory B cells, double-negative memory B cells, and naïve B cells in 130 patients with SLE and 55 healthy controls. The different distributions of B cell subsets were further evaluated by their associations with disease activity and clinical manifestation. SLE patients showed significant alteration of B cell subsets, including lower frequency of non-switched memory B cells and higher double-negative memory B cells. The frequencies of B cell subsets also varied between new-onset SLE patients and chronic SLE patients. Frequencies of total memory B cells, switched memory B cells, and non-switched memory B cells were lower in new-onset SLE patients and frequency of naïve B cells was higher compared with healthy controls. Chronic SLE patients showed increased switched memory B cells and double-negative memory B cells. In addition, switched memory B cells and double-negative B cells were higher in patients with lupus nephritis (LN) regardless of disease activity. Our findings suggested that abnormalities of the B cell subsets homeostasis might contribute to the pathogenesis of SLE.

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Acknowledgements

We thank Professor Shufang Wu in the Research Center for Translational Medicine for the guidance and support of the Flow cytometry. We thank all SLE patients and healthy donors involved in the study.

Funding

The National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant No.81400230).

The Science Development Foundation of First Affiliated Hospital of Xi’an JiaoTong University (Grant No.2015YK10).

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Author notes

  1. Li Zhu and Zijing Yin contributed equally to the work.

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Rheumatology and Immunology, First Affiliated Hospital of Xi’an JiaoTong University, Xi’an, 710061, China

    Li Zhu, Zijing Yin, Bomiao Ju, Jing Zhang, Yanhua Wang, Xiaohong Lv, Zhiming Hao & Lan He

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  1. Li Zhu
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  2. Zijing Yin
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  3. Bomiao Ju
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  4. Jing Zhang
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  5. Yanhua Wang
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  6. Xiaohong Lv
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  7. Zhiming Hao
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  8. Lan He
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Lan He.

Ethics declarations

This study was supported by ethics committee of The First Affiliated Hospital of Xi’an Jiao tong University. Written informed consents were obtained from all of the participants.

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None.

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Zhu, L., Yin, Z., Ju, B. et al. Altered frequencies of memory B cells in new-onset systemic lupus erythematosus patients. Clin Rheumatol 37, 205–212 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10067-017-3877-1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10067-017-3877-1

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