PD-L1+ Regulatory B Cells Are Significantly Decreased in Rheumatoid Arthritis Patients and Increase After Successful Treatment

ZACCA, ESTEFANÍA R.; ONOFRIO, LUISINA I.; ACOSTA, CRISTINA D. V.; FERRERO, PAOLA V.; ALONSO, SERGIO M.; RAMELLO, MARÍA C.; MUSSANO, EDUARDO; ONETTI, LAURA; CADILE, ISAAC I.; STANCICH, MARIA I.; TABOADA BONFANTI, MARIA C.; MONTES, CAROLINA L.; ACOSTA RODRÍGUEZ, EVA V.; GRUPPI, ADRIANA

Frontiers in Immunology

Frontiers Media SA

Año: 2018 vol. 9

bstractBackground: B cells play an important role in the development and maintenance of rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Although IL-10-producing B cells represent a major subset of regulatory B cells (Bregs) able to suppress autoimmune and inflammatory responses, recent reports showed that B cell-mediated immune suppression may also occur independent of IL-10. For instance, B cells can modulate T cell immune responses through the expression of regulatory molecules such as PD-L1. So far, PD-L1-expressing B cells have not been analyzed in RA patients. Objective: To analyze the frequency of PD-L1-expressing B cells in the peripheral blood of RA patients compared to healthy controls (HC) matched for sex and age, their function on T cell response and their changes in response to therapy. Methods: Fresh peripheral blood B cells from RA patients and HC were characterized by flow cytometry and their functionality assessed in a co-culture system with autologous T cells. Results: The frequencies of