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Updated: Jun 25, 2026

The bm12 Inducible Model of Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE) in C57BL/6 Mice
Published on: November 1, 2015
HLA-DRhigh/CD27high plasmablasts indicate active disease in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus
1Charité Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Charitéplatz 1, 10098 Berlin, Germany.
Objectives:
Monitoring of peripheral B-cell subsets in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) revealed an activity-related expansion of CD27(++)CD20(-)CD19(dim) Ig-secreting cells. A similar subset has also been identified 6-8 days after tetanus/diphtheria vaccination in normal individuals and in patients with infectious disease.
Methods:
This subset was analysed further focussing on the HLA-DR surface expression in a cohort of 25 patients with SLE.
Results:
This study revealed that 86% (range 59-97%) of CD27(++)CD20(-)CD19(dim) cells express high levels of HLA-DR, are also expanded in the bone marrow, and represent plasmablasts enriched with anti-dsDNA secreting cells. The remaining CD27(++)CD20(-)CD19(dim) cells were HLA-DR(low) and represent mature plasma cells. Importantly, HLA-DR(high) plasmablasts showed a closer correlation with lupus activity and anti-dsDNA levels than the previously identified CD27(++)CD20(-)CD19(dim) cells.
Conclusion:
HLA-DR(high)CD27(++)CD20(-)CD19(dim) plasmablasts represent a more precise indicator of lupus activity and suggest that there is an overproduction or lack of negative selection of these cells in SLE.
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