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Anti-CD20 antibody is an efficient therapeutic tool for the selective removal of autoreactive T cells

Nature Clinical Practice Rheumatology volume 5, pages 80–82 (2009)Cite this article

Rituximab, a chimeric IgG1 monoclonal antibody that specifically binds to CD20 on B cells, has demonstrated surprising efficacy in the treatment of autoimmune diseases that are predominantly mediated by T helper (TH) cells, such as rheumatoid arthritis, multiple sclerosis (MS), lupus nephritis and idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura,1,2,3,4,5 as well as in mouse models of autoimmune diabetes.6 These findings have led investigators to speculate that B cells might have a primary and initiating role in these autoimmune diseases. In this Viewpoint I argue, however, that the action of anti-CD20 therapy is in fact specific for autoreactive T cells.

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Acknowledgements

This work was supported by NIH grants R37–AR39157 and RO1–AI41985.

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  1. Division of Rheumatology, Northwestern University, Feinberg School of Medicine, 240 East Huron Street, McGaw #M300, Chicago, IL 60611, USA skd257@northwestern.edu

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  1. SK Datta is a Professor in the Departments of Medicine and Microbiology-Immunology at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL, USA.,

    Syamal K Datta

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Datta, S. Anti-CD20 antibody is an efficient therapeutic tool for the selective removal of autoreactive T cells. Nat Rev Rheumatol 5, 80–82 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1038/ncprheum0983

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