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Open Access 01-12-2017 | Research article

Th17 and CD24^hiCD27⁺ regulatory B lymphocytes are biomarkers of response to biologics in rheumatoid arthritis

Authors: Sarah Salomon, Caroline Guignant, Pierre Morel, Gauthier Flahaut, Clément Brault, Clément Gourguechon, Patrice Fardellone, Jean-Pierre Marolleau, Brigitte Gubler, Vincent Goëb

Published in: Arthritis Research & Therapy | Issue 1/2017

Abstract

Background

The aim was to describe the regulatory B and T cells (Breg and Treg) and T helper 17 (Th17) lymphocytes before and under treatment with biologic drugs, and to assess their potential predictive value as biomarkers of response in rheumatoid arthritis (RA).

Methods

This was a non-randomised, single-centre, prospective study. Patients with active RA (American College of Rheumatology (ACR)/European League Against Rheumatism (EULAR) 2010) who required the initiation or switch to any biologic drug except rituximab were included. The main judgement criterion was the frequency and absolute number of CD24^hiCD27⁺ Breg and CD24^hiCD38^hi T2/Breg cells, CD25^hiCD127^low Treg and CD45RA⁻CD161⁺CCR6⁺ Th17 cells measured at inclusion in both patients and controls, and after 1, 3 and 6 months of treatment (M1, M3 and M6) in patients with RA, and compared with the M6 response to treatment (EULAR response and Disease Activity Score in 28 joints (DAS28) remission).

Results

Thirty-one patients with RA and 17 controls were included. There was a reduction in T2/Breg frequency at M0 in patients (p < 0.001) and absolute numbers (p = 0.014) and in immunopositive vs. immunonegative RA (p = 0.016). DAS28 remission at M6 was associated with increased frequency of Treg (p = 0.01). A higher level of CD24^hiCD27⁺ Breg at baseline was associated with DAS28 remission at M6 (p = 0.04) and a good EULAR response at M6 for abatacept-treated patients (p = 0.01). A lower M0 level of Th17 was associated with a good EULAR response at M6 (p = 0.007), notably under anti-cytokine drugs (p = 0.048).

Conclusions

Altogether, these data, although preliminary, suggest that phenotyping of T and B cells has potential value for the stratification of biologic drugs, notably with respect to choosing between abatacept and anti-cytokine blockade.

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Title: Th17 and CD24hiCD27+ regulatory B lymphocytes are biomarkers of response to biologics in rheumatoid arthritis
Authors: Sarah Salomon
Caroline Guignant
Pierre Morel
Gauthier Flahaut
Clément Brault
Clément Gourguechon
Patrice Fardellone
Jean-Pierre Marolleau
Brigitte Gubler
Vincent Goëb
Publication date: 01-12-2017
Publisher: BioMed Central
Published in: Arthritis Research & Therapy / Issue 1/2017
Electronic ISSN: 1478-6362
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1186/s13075-017-1244-x

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Th17 and CD24^hiCD27⁺ regulatory B lymphocytes are biomarkers of response to biologics in rheumatoid arthritis

Abstract

Background

Methods

Results

Conclusions

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Abstract

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Conclusions

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