Lack of expression of an alternative CD20 transcript variant in circulating B cells from patients with pemphigus.

Abstract

We have identified a spliced mRNA transcript of CD20 (named D393-CD20) which was associated with resistance to RTX in primary B cell from patients with lymphoma and leukaemia. In the present work, we wished to investigate whether D393-CD20 variant was expressed by B cells from patients with pemphigus. Ten patients with bullous pemphigoid and twenty-five patients with pemphigus were included. All patients were responder to conventional immunosuppressive agents or rituximab (n = 11). Efficacy of B-cell activation by pokeweed mitogen was assessed by CD86 expression using a FACS Canto II flow cytometer. mRNA CD20 expression study was then performed using RT-PCR assay allowing first to discriminate wild-type (wt)-CD20 and D393-CD20 transcript. Although wt-CD20 expression was always detected, we were unable to detect D393-CD20, even after B-cell activation or RTX treatment. Our results suggest that D393-CD20 transcript may be a molecular marker of B-cell malignancies rather than autoimmune disease like pemphigus. Further study of RTX non-responders or non-escaping PV patients is thus still required to appreciate whether D393-CD20 expression may be detected under the pressure of RTX therapy.

• Authors: Clémentine Gamonet, Christophe Ferrand, Natacha Colliou, Philippe Musette, Pascal Joly, Marie Girardin, Philippe Humbert, François Aubin
• Journal: Experimental dermatology (Exp Dermatol) Vol. 23 Issue 1 Pg. 66-7 (Jan 2014) ISSN: 1600-0625 [Electronic] Denmark
• PMID: 24313590 (Publication Type: Letter, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't)
• Copyright: © 2013 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Chemical References

• Antibodies, Monoclonal, Murine-Derived
• Antigens, CD20
• Genetic Markers
• Immunosuppressive Agents
• RNA, Messenger
• Rituximab

Topics

• Aged
• Alternative Splicing
• Antibodies, Monoclonal, Murine-Derived (therapeutic use)
• Antigens, CD20 (genetics)
• B-Lymphocytes (immunology)
• Female
• Genetic Markers
• Humans
• Immunosuppressive Agents (therapeutic use)
• Male
• Middle Aged
• Pemphigus (genetics, immunology, therapy)
• RNA, Messenger (genetics)
• Rituximab