Advances in age-associated B cell in systemic lupus erythematosus

doi:10.16138/j.1673-6087.2025.04.13

Abstract

Abstract:

Age associated B cell (ABC) is a new type of effector B cell subset, which is characterized by continuous expansion with age. However, it is abnormally expressed prematurely in patients with certain autoimmune diseases and/or infectious diseases. ABC highly expresses CD11c and transcription factor T-bet in mice and human, and lowly expresses CD21. ABC is considered a memory B cell subtype driven by autoantigen and has the potential to differentiate into plasmablasts and produce autoantibodies. In systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), ABC is abnormally amplified and correlated with disease activity and organ involvement. An important mechanism to promote the production of autoantibodies and accelerate disease progression is the single gene mutation inducing the proliferation and differentiation of ABC into extrafollicular effector B cell. Recent studies have revealed that zinc finger E-box binding homeobox 2 (ZEB2) is a key transcription factor for the specialization of the ABC cell lineage, and the ZEB2-Janus kinase (JAK)-signal transducer and activator of transcription (STAT) pathway play a core role in their differentiation. Further study on the role of ABC in the pathogenesis of SLE will help to provide new targets for clinical treatment.

Key words: Age-associated B cell, Systemic lupus erythematosus, Lupus autoantibodies

CLC Number:

R593.24

FAN Yuxin, BIN Zexuan, ZHANG Xin, LUO Jing, WANG Caihong. Advances in age-associated B cell in systemic lupus erythematosus[J]. Journal of Internal Medicine Concepts & Practice, 2025, 20(04): 328-333.

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