"This is a critical piece of the immune system. Germinal centers are where crucial education of the B cell takes place -- where they learn which cells to attack and which ones not to. Dysregulation in germinal center reactions may play a role in many autoimmune diseases," study co-leader Dr. Jennifer Anolik, an assistant professor of medicine, said in a prepared statement.
Anti-TNF drugs appear to disrupt the formation of special cells (follicular dendritic cells) that link germinal centers, which decreases the number of abnormal B cells, Anolik said.
"There is a lot of excitement about the role of B cells in autoimmune disease. The connection between TNF-targeted therapy and B cells in rheumatoid arthritis really hasn't been appreciated," she said.
Anolik is about to launch a study to compare how two different anti-TNF drugs affect B cells in RA patients. The findings could help explain why some RA patients respond well to certain drugs but not others.
More information
The U.S. National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases has more about autoimmune disorders.
