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Updated: Aug 24, 2026

An Adoptive Transfer Model of Rheumatoid Arthritis in Mice
Published on: June 6, 2025
Roles of B cells in rheumatoid arthritis
Gregg J Silverman1, Dennis A Carson
1Rheumatic Disease Core Center and Division of Rheumatology, Allergy and Immunology, Department of Medicine, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California, USA. gsilverman@ucsd.edu
Abstract:
B lymphocytes play several critical roles in the pathogenesis of rheumatoid arthritis. They are the source of the rheumatoid factors and anticitrullinated protein antibodies, which contribute to immune complex formation and complement activation in the joints. B cells are also very efficient antigen-presenting cells, and can contribute to T cell activation through expression of costimulatory molecules. B cells both respond to and produce the chemokines and cytokines that promote leukocyte infiltration into the joints, formation of ectopic lymphoid structures, angiogenesis, and synovial hyperplasia. The success of B cell depletion therapy in rheumatoid arthritis may depend on disruption of all these diverse functions.
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