ArticleJournal of immunology (Baltimore, Md. : 1950)2014
Rituximab efficiently depletes increased CD20-expressing T cells in multiple sclerosis patients.
Article in Journal of immunology (Baltimore, Md. : 1950), 2014. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 150 papers, 3 of them syntheses that pooled it.
What it found
Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.
The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
150 citing papers in PubMed, 3 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 281 citations in OpenAlex.
- Efficacy and safety of rituximab in multiple sclerosis: a systematic review and meta-analysis.Acta neurologica Belgica · 2023Pooled it
- Ocrelizumab for multiple sclerosis.The Cochrane database of systematic reviews · 2022Pooled it
- Construction of an miRNA-regulated drug-pathway network reveals drug repurposing candidates for myasthenia gravis.International journal of molecular medicine · 2017Pooled it
- Five Years of Ublituximab in Multiple Sclerosis: ULTIMATE I and II Open-Label Extension Study.JAMA neurology · 2026Trial
- Effect of Ocrelizumab on B- and T-Cell Receptor Repertoire Diversity in Patients With Relapsing Multiple Sclerosis From the Randomized Phase III OPERA Trial.Neurology(R) neuroimmunology & neuroinflammation · 2023Trial
- Association of Higher Ocrelizumab Exposure With Reduced Disability Progression in Multiple Sclerosis.Neurology(R) neuroimmunology & neuroinflammation · 2023Trial
- Effect of rituximab on a salivary gland ultrasound score in primary Sjögren's syndrome: results of the TRACTISS randomised double-blind multicentre substudy.Annals of the rheumatic diseases · 2018Trial
- Interpreting Lymphocyte Reconstitution Data From the Pivotal Phase 3 Trials of Alemtuzumab.JAMA neurology · 2017Trial
- The cascade to pathogenicity in autoantibody-mediated CNS diseases.Brain : a journal of neurology · 2026Review
- CD20+ T follicular helper-like cells drive antigen-specific autoimmunity in bullous pemphigoid.The Journal of clinical investigation · 2026Article
- Beyond B Cell Depletion: Adhesion and Activation Network Remodeling During Repeated Intravenous Anti-CD20 Therapy in Multiple Sclerosis.Neurology and therapy · 2026Article
- Efficacy of Ublituximab in People with Highly Active Relapsing Multiple Sclerosis.Neurology and therapy · 2026Article
- Rituximab for severe immune checkpoint inhibitor-related adverse events: a multicenter case series.Cancer immunology, immunotherapy : CII · 2026Article
- T cell-mediated immunodysregulation in multiple sclerosis: from pathogenic subsets to therapeutic advances.Frontiers in immunology · 2026Review
- Pharmacodynamics and Pharmacokinetics of Ublituximab Compared with Other Anti-CD20 Monoclonal Antibodies for Multiple Sclerosis Treatment.Current neuropharmacology · 2026Review
- Evolving role of CD8Frontiers in immunology · 2026Review
- Anti-CD19/CD20 bispecific antibody with dual Fc domains mediates enhanced effector functions and durable depletion of memory B cells in vivo.Scientific reports · 2025Article
- B- and T cell receptor sequencing elucidates characteristics of lymphocyte depletion by ocrelizumab.iScience · 2025Article
- In-Depth Characterization of L1CAMInternational journal of molecular sciences · 2025Article
- CD20+ T Cells in Multiple Sclerosis: From Pathogenesis to Treatment-Induced Depletion.International journal of molecular sciences · 2025Review
90 more citing papers are in PubMed but not listed here.
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
9 authors at 2 institutions in 2 countries.
Funding
Abstract
In multiple sclerosis (MS), B cell-depleting therapy using monoclonal anti-CD20 Abs, including rituximab (RTX) and ocrelizumab, effectively reduces disease activity. Based on indirect evidence, it is generally believed that elimination of the Ag-presenting capabilities and Ag nonspecific immune functions of B cells underlie the therapeutic efficacy. However, a small subset of T lymphocytes (T cells) was shown to also express CD20, but controversy prevails surrounding the true existence of this T cell subpopulation. Using single-cell imaging flow cytometry and expression profiling of sorted lymphocyte subsets, we unequivocally demonstrate the existence of CD3(+)CD20(dim) T cells. We show that in MS patients, increased levels of CD3(+)CD20(dim) T cells are effectively depleted by RTX. The pathological relevance of this T cell subset in MS remains to be determined. However, given their potential proinflammatory functionality, depletion of CD20-expressing T cells may also contribute to the therapeutic effect of RTX and other mAbs targeting CD20.
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What OpenQuestion holds
Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.