b cell therapy to treat an axonal neuropathy in mixed connective tissue disease

the b cell is a vital contributor to humoral immunity. the b cell-specific antigen cd20 is expressed during b cell development, starting at the pre-b cell level and persists through b cell differentiation, but is lost during terminal differentiation to plasma cells. rituximab is a monoclonal antibody that destroys both normal and malignant b cells that have cd20 on their surfaces and is therefore used to treat diseases characterized by excessive b cells, overactive b cells, or dysfunctional b cells. the connective tissue diseases and vasculitis mediated by b cell may cause various disorders of the peripheral nervous system especially axonal neuropathy. b cell–directed therapies may represent a promising new treatment for autoimmune axonal neuropathies.