[Research progress on B cell surface molecules targeted therapy in rheumatoid arthritis]

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic and systemic autoimmune disease, it's pathogenic mechanism is unknown and there is a lack of safe and effective therapeutic drug on RA. Because of important function of B cells in RA pathogenic mechanism, many therapeutic drugs targeted on different positions of B cells are emerging in RA therapy. These B cell-targeted therapeutic biologic agents include anti-CD20 monoclonal antibody (such as rituximab, ocrelizumab and ofatumumab), biologic agents which targeted B lymphocyte stimulator (BLyS) and their receptors (such as belimumab and atacicept), anti-CD22 monoclonal antibody and CD40/CD40L co-stimulation reaction blocker. Efficacy of above-mentioned targeting agents has confirmed in studies of RA and it's animal models, suggesting that it is a promising therapeutic strategy that B cells are regarded as targeting position in RA therapy.