ArticleArthritis research & therapy2016
Rituximab induces phenotypical and functional changes of NK cells in a non-malignant experimental setting.
Article in Arthritis research & therapy, 2016. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 17 papers.
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Who cites it
17 citing papers in PubMed, 27 citations in OpenAlex.
- Emerging Immune Cell Biomarkers in Primary Membranous Nephropathy: Immune Cell Profiling During Anti-CD20 B Cell-Targeted Therapy.International journal of molecular sciences · 2026Review
- Risk factors and retreatment for relapse in childhood primary nephrotic syndrome treated with rituximab.Pediatric nephrology (Berlin, Germany) · 2025Article
- Two Decades Rituximab Therapy in Anti-Neutrophil Cytoplasmic Antibody Associated Vasculitis.Current drug targets · 2025Review
- Longitudinal analysis of peripheral immune cells in patients with multiple sclerosis treated with anti-CD20 therapy.Annals of clinical and translational neurology · 2024Article
- Fcγ-receptor-IIIA bioactivity of circulating and synovial immune complexes in rheumatoid arthritis.RMD open · 2024Article
- Ocrelizumab Alters Cytotoxic Lymphocyte Function While Reducing EBV-Specific CD8Neurology(R) neuroimmunology & neuroinflammation · 2024Article
- Molecular Aspects of Resistance to Immunotherapies-Advances in Understanding and Management of Diffuse Large B-Cell Lymphoma.International journal of molecular sciences · 2022Review
- Rituximab Therapy for Adults with Nephrotic Syndromes: Standard Schedules or B Cell-Targeted Therapy?Journal of clinical medicine · 2021Review
- Blood CD3-(CD56 or 16)+ natural killer cell distributions are heterogeneous in healthy adults and suppressed by azathioprine in patients with ANCA-associated vasculitides.BMC immunology · 2021Article
- Review
- Natural Killer Cells in Anti-Neutrophil Cytoplasmic Antibody-Associated Vasculitis - A Review of the Literature.Frontiers in immunology · 2021Review
- Article
- Unleashing Natural Killer Cells in the Tumor Microenvironment-The Next Generation of Immunotherapy?Frontiers in immunology · 2020Review
- Activation of natural killer cells by rituximab in granulomatosis with polyangiitis.Arthritis research & therapy · 2019Article
- Rituximab depletion of intrahepatic B cells to control refractory hepatic autoimmune overlap syndrome.QJM : monthly journal of the Association of Physicians · 2019Article
- Small-Molecule Immunosuppressive Drugs and Therapeutic Immunoglobulins Differentially Inhibit NK Cell Effector FunctionsFrontiers in immunology · 2019Article
- Rituximab impedes natural killer cell function in Chronic Fatigue Syndrome/Myalgic Encephalomyelitis patients: A pilot in vitro investigation.BMC pharmacology & toxicology · 2018Article
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
3 authors at 2 institutions in 1 country.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundRituximab has broad and increasing application in rheumatic diseases. It is known from lymphoma studies that natural killer (NK) cells can lyse rituximab-coated transformed B cells. However, the role of NK cells in mediating rituximab-induced depletion of non-malignant B cells is unknown. The purpose of this study was to provide fundamental data on rituximab-mediated effects on NK cells in PBMCs without tumor cells, in order to simulate effects that could be relevant in patients with rheumatic disease.
methodsFreshly isolated peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) from healthy donors were cultured overnight with therapeutic antibodies. NK cells were isolated using a commercial kit or depleted from PBMCs using anti-CD56 and anti-CD16 monoclonal antibodies and magnetic beads. Cells were analyzed by multicolor flow cytometry. Cytotoxicity assays were performed using (51)Cr-labeled K562 target cells.
resultsAddition of rituximab to PBMCs resulted in depletion of B cells, which was dependent on NK cells and serum factors. The extent of B cell depletion correlated with the percentage of NK cells. Following incubation with rituximab, NK cells within PBMCs were activated, degranulated and downregulated the low affinitiy Fc-γ-receptor CD16 (FcγRIIIA). The co-activating receptor CD137 (41BB) was upregulated on a fraction of NK cells. NK cell function was altered in some donors in whom we observed rituximab-dependent reduction in NK cell cytotoxicity towards K562 tumor cells.
conclusionsNK cells mediate rituximab-induced B cell depletion. Rituximab induces altered NK cell phenotype and function.
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