B cells from Patients with Rheumatoid Arthritis Show Conserved CD39-Mediated Regulatory Function and increased CD39 Expression After Positive Response to Therapy

ACOSTA, C.D.V.

JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR BIOLOGY

ACADEMIC PRESS LTD-ELSEVIER SCIENCE LTD

Año: 2021 vol. 433

0022-2836

heumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic inflammatory disease characterized by progressive joint destructionassociated with increased pro-inflammatory mediators. In inflammatory microenvironments, exogenousATP (eATP) is hydrolyzed to adenosine, which exerts immunosuppressive effects, by the consecutiveaction of the ectonucleotidases CD39 and CD73. Mature B cells constitutively express both ectonucleotidases,converting these cells to potential suppressors. Here, we assessed CD39 and CD73 expression onB cells from treated or untreated patients with RA. Neither the frequency of CD73+CD39+ and CD73--CD39+ B cell subsets nor the levels of CD73 and CD39 expression on B cells from untreated or treatedRA patients showed significant changes in comparison to healthy controls (HC). CpG+IL-2-stimulated Bcells from HC or untreated RA patients increased their CD39 expression, and suppressed CD4+ and CD8+T cell proliferation and intracellular TNF-production. A CD39 inhibitor significantly restored prol