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. 2004 Jun 7;199(11):1451-4.
doi: 10.1084/jem.20040719. Epub 2004 Jun 1.

Targeting plasma cells in autoimmune diseases

David M Tarlinton  1 , Philip D Hodgkin
Affiliations

Targeting plasma cells in autoimmune diseases

David M Tarlinton et al. J Exp Med. .

Abstract

Antibodies specific for self-antigens mediate life-threatening pathology in several autoimmune diseases. Clearly the ability to target the plasma cells (PCs) producing the autoantibodies would be of great clinical benefit. Current immunosuppressive therapies are based on the premise that autoreactive PCs are short-lived and replenished from ongoing immune responses. However, recent results question this assumption and suggest that optimizing the treatment of severe autoimmune conditions will require a significant investment in elucidating the details of PC biology.

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Figures

Figure 1.
Figure 1.
The tangled web of PCs and their precursors. Schematic representation of PC subsets and their postulated or proven precursors and products. SL, short-lived; LL, long-lived; Ag, antigen.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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