Pathogenic memory plasma cells in autoimmunity

Curr Opin Immunol. 2019 Dec:61:86-91. doi: 10.1016/j.coi.2019.09.005. Epub 2019 Oct 30.

¹ Deutsches Rheuma-Forschungszentrum Berlin, a Leibniz Institute (DRFZ), Charitéplatz 1, 10117 Berlin, Germany.
² Universitätsklinikum Schleswig-Holstein, Clinic for Internal Medicine I, Arnold-Heller-Straße 3, 24105 Kiel, Germany.
³ Charité Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Department of Rheumatology and Clinical Immunology, Charitéplatz 1, 10117 Berlin, Germany.
⁴ Deutsches Rheuma-Forschungszentrum Berlin, a Leibniz Institute (DRFZ), Charitéplatz 1, 10117 Berlin, Germany. Electronic address: radbruch@drfz.de.

Abstract

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Memory plasma cells are long-lived but require specialized niches for their survival.
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Memory plasma cells are refractory to conventional immunosuppression.
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Pathogenic memory plasma cells represent ‘roadblocks’ to response to conventional therapy.
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Strategies for (selective) targeting of memory plasma cells are in preclinical and clinical tests.