Development of a novel way to treat autoimmune disease by regulating humoral immune systems

Research Project Outline

It has been thought that self-antibodies produced by plasma cells are one of the critical determinants for initiation and amplification of autoimune diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Focusing on self-reactive plasma cells and their precursor memory B cells, this study aims at identifying activation, inhibition, and survival factors of these cells, thereby developing a novel way to treat autoimmune diseases.