B cell depletion (BCD) maintenance therapy after short-term depletion (STD) of B and plasma cells with ant-CD20 and bortezomib improves the disease in NZB/W F1 mice.

Abstract

<p>Mice (n = 4) were treated with anti-CD20 and bortezomib (STD) alone or continuous B cell depletion without bortezomib (BCD, n = 5) or treated as STD followed by BCD maintenance therapy with anti-CD20 (STD+BCD, n = 4). (<b>A)</b> Serum IgM and IgG anti-dsDNA antibody levels in treated and untreated mice (n = 9), as measured by ELISA. (<b>B)</b> Proteinuria in treated and untreated mice. Statistical differences between treated and untreated mice were analyzed using the post-hoc test (ns, non-significant, P>0.05, *<i>P</i><0.05; **<i>P</i><0.01, ***<i>P</i><0.001). (<b>C)</b> Survival curves for treated and untreated NZB/W F1 mice (Kaplan—Meier log-rank test). Abbreviations: STD, Short-term depletion (anti-CD20 and bortezomib); BCD; B cell depletion (anti-CD20).</p