Disease-specific B cells producing pathogenic autoantibodies (DSB)

Disease-specific B cells producing pathogenic autoantibodies are a specialized subset of B lymphocytes that have escaped immune tolerance mechanisms to produce antibodies targeting self-antigens (Science, 2016). These cells are the primary drivers of antibody-mediated autoimmune diseases, such as Pemphigus Vulgaris, Myasthenia Gravis, and Systemic Lupus Erythematosus, where they cause tissue damage through complement activation, opsonization, or interference with receptor function (Frontiers in Immunology, 2017). Traditional therapies like Rituximab target the broader B-cell population via the CD20 surface marker, but emerging precision medicines like Chimeric Autoantibody Receptor (CAAR) T cells are designed to selectively eliminate only the autoreactive clones by using the autoantigen itself as a bait (Nature Biotechnology, 2023). This selective targeting aims to deplete the source of pathogenic antibodies while sparing healthy B cells, thereby maintaining the patient's ability to fight infections (Nature Reviews Drug Discovery, 2021). Monitoring the activity and depletion of these cells often involves measuring serum autoantibody titers or tracking specific B-cell subsets via flow cytometry (Frontiers in Immunology, 2019).

Other names

Autoreactive B cellsPathogenic B cellsAutoantibody-secreting cellsSelf-reactive B cellsDisease-specific B lymphocytes

Selective or broad depletion of B-cell populations via antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity (ADCC), complement-dependent cytotoxicity (CDC), or direct T-cell mediated lysis; and inhibition of B-cell survival signals.