Abnormal germinal center reactions in systemic lupus erythematosus demonstrated by blockade of CD154-CD40 interactions
J. Clin. Invest. Amrie C. Grammer, et al. 112:1506 doi:10.1172/JCI19301 [Go to this article.]

Figure 3
Expression of activation antigens by B cells diminishes with different kinetics following treatment of active-SLE patients with humanized anti-CD154 (5c8). Freshly isolated PBMCs from normal volunteers and active-SLE patients before treatment, during treatment, and after treatment (SLE no. 1, 2 months after; SLE no. 2, 20 months after; SLE no. 3, 3 months after; SLE no. 4, 20 months after) were assessed for CD69 and CD38 expression in CD19⁺ B cell subsets by FACS analysis following staining with FITC-conjugated anti-IgD, APC-conjugated anti-CD19, and PE-conjugated Ab against CD69 or CD38. The percentages of CD19⁺ pre-switch IgD⁺ and post-switch IgD^– B cells expressing CD38 (a) and CD69 (b) before, during, and after treatment are shown.