Disturbances in peripheral blood B cell subpopulations in autoimmune patients.

A variety of cell surface markers are being used to identify B cell subpopulations in peripheral blood. Currently at least eight subpopulations have been identified. Analyses of healthy individuals indicate that in general the various B cell subpopulations exist in relatively similar ratios in unrelated individuals. It has been demonstrated that B lymphocyte homeostasis is disturbed during infection and autoimmune disease. In this review we compare the distribution of B cell subpopulations in the peripheral blood of patients with systemic lupus erythematosus, rheumatoid arthritis and primary Sjogren's syndrome with each other, and with healthy individuals. The different autoimmune diseases have distinct changes in the B cell subpopulations. Understanding the nature of these B subpopulation signatures will potentially impact understanding the mechanisms of disease, diagnosis and therapy.