Treatment with belimumab restores B cell subsets and their expression of B cell activating factor receptor in patients with primary Sjogren’s syndrome

• DOI: 10.1093/rheumatology/kev005
• Publication Date: 2015-03-05T01:12:44Z
• Authors: Elena Pontarini; Martina Fabris; Luca Quartuccio; Monica Cappeletti; Francesca Calcaterra; Alessandra Roberto; Francesco Curcio; Domenico Mavilio; Silvia Della Bella; Salvatore De Vita
• Keywords: Belimumab

Objective. The aim of this study was to investigate the biological effects belimumab on B cells in first phase II open-label trial with patients primary SS (pSS) (BELISS). Methods. Peripheral blood cell subsets and their activating factor-receptor (BAFF-R) expression were analysed by multicolour flow cytometry 10 pSS either before or after 24 52 weeks therapy belimumab. Serum BAFF levels ELISA. Results. At baseline, showed a significant increase circulating compared healthy donors matched for age sex, predominant expansion transitional naive subsets. also higher serum lower BAFF-R expression. Therapy induced reduction similar those observed donors. Furthermore, normalized all comprised within memory compartment. restoration frequency subset composition response associated decrease Ig, RF, ANAs, an C4 complement fraction. All these belimumab-mediated maintained until end therapeutic protocol. Conclusion. Taken together, our findings show that targeting is successful normalizing frequency, phenotype functions pSS. Trial registration: clinicaltrials.gov; https://clinicaltrials.gov/; NCT01008982.