This observational study aims at finding out if individual with autoimmunity exhibit increased numbers of B cells that express two types (instead of one type) of antibodies, and if B cells of individuals genetically susceptible to autoimmunity display defects in the biological process of tolerance, which removes B cells that participate in autoimmunity.
Peripheral blood B cells of SLE patients are analyzed by flow cytometry to determine the frequency of B cells co-expressing immunoglobulin kappa an lambda light chains. This frequency is correlated to the disease activity.
Study Type
OBSERVATIONAL
Enrollment
46
University of Colorado
Aurora, Colorado, United States
Frequency of kappa to lambda ratios of B cells in blood of autoimmune adults
For peripheral adult blood, the main outcome measure is the frequency of κ/λ (kappa to lambda ratios) dual immunoglobulin B cells within the overall B (CD19+ or CD20+) cell population. The collected data will be aggregated as the average frequency of κ/λ B cells in subjects with autoimmunity relative to healthy controls.
Time frame: 1 day
Frequency of CD19 and IgM low B cells in cord blood of babies born from autoimmune mothers
For cord blood samples, the main outcome measurement is the frequency of B cells that express both low levels of CD19 and IgM within the total (CD19+ or CD20+) B cell population. The collected data will be aggregated as the average frequency of CD19low/IgMlow B cells in subjects that were born from autoimmune mothers relative to those born from healthy mothers. Moreover, data will also be stratified in respect to the presence or absence of the PTPN22-R620W allele, which is a risk allele for autoimmunity.
Time frame: 1 day
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