Abstract: Two Cases of Antinuclear Antibody Negative Lupus Showing Increased Proportion of B Cells Lacking RP105

Two Cases of Antinuclear Antibody Negative Lupus Showing Increased Proportion of B Cells Lacking RP105

SYUICHI KOARADA, MASARU IDE, YOSHIO HARUTA, YOSHIFUMI TADA, OSAMU USHIYAMA, FUMITAKA MORITO, AKIHIDE OHTA, and KOHEI NAGASAWA

ABSTRACT.

B cells lacking RP105 molecule, a member of the Toll-like receptor family, were increased in the peripheral blood of 2 patients with antinuclear antibody (ANA) negative systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). The increased proportion of RP105-lacking B cells was associated with disease activity in patients with ANA-negative SLE. When there are no significant serological markers for SLE, analysis of expression of RP105 may be helpful in evaluation of activity in ANA-negative SLE. We describe a new approach, using phenotyping of B cells, to evaluate activity of ANA-negative SLE. (J Rheumatol 2005;32:562-4)

Key Indexing Terms:

ANTINUCLEAR ANTIBODY NEGATIVE SYSTEMIC LUPUS ERYTHEMATOSUS
RP105
CD180

From the Division of Rheumatology, Saga Medical School, Saga, Japan.

Dr. Koarada is supported by grant aid for scientific research from the Ministry of Education, Science, Sports, and Culture, Japan (No.15591057).

S. Koarada, MD; M. Ide, MD; Y. Haruta, MD; O. Ushiyama, MD; F. Morito, PhD; Y. Tada, MD, Division of Rheumatology; A. Ohta, MD, Professor, Clinical Nursing; K. Nagasawa, MD, Professor, Internal Medicine, Saga Medical School.

Address reprint requests to Dr. S. Koarada, Division of Rheumatology, Saga Medical School, 5-1-1 Nabeshima, Saga, 849-8501, Japan. E-mail: koarada@post.saga-med.ac.jp

Submitted February 5, 2004; revision accepted November 25, 2004.