Plasmablasts as Translational Biomarkers in Autoimmune Diseases: From Cellular Dynamics to Clinical Decision-Making

Area of Science:

• Immunology
• Autoimmune Diseases
• Cell Biology

Background:

• B cells are central to autoimmune diseases.
• Plasmablasts are transient, activated B-cell intermediates reflecting real-time immune responses.
• Their presence in blood indicates immune activity, influenced by antigens, cytokines, and germinal center dynamics.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review plasmablast biology and disease-specific phenotypes in systemic autoimmune diseases.
• To highlight the role of plasmablasts as dynamic biomarkers for clinical decision-making.
• To explore the prognostic value of plasmablast kinetics in autoimmune conditions.

Main Methods:

• Synthesis of current knowledge on plasmablast biology.
• Analysis of disease-specific plasmablast phenotypes in SLE, pSjD, IgG4-RD, AAV, and RA.
• Incorporation of single-cell technologies to identify plasmablast subsets and signatures.

Main Results:

• Plasmablasts exhibit distinct phenotypes across various autoimmune diseases.
• Single-cell analyses reveal novel plasmablast subsets, metabolic states, and interferon signatures.
• Plasmablast kinetics post-therapy predict relapse in autoimmune conditions.

Conclusions:

• Plasmablasts are valuable dynamic biomarkers in systemic autoimmune diseases.
• Monitoring plasmablast levels and kinetics can inform clinical decisions and predict relapse.
• Integrating plasmablast dynamics into routine care enables precision immune surveillance and preventive intervention.