Defects in B-lymphopoiesis and B-cell maturation underlie prolonged B-cell depletion in ANCA-associated vasculitis

B-cell depletion time after rituximab (RTX) treatment is prolonged in antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibody (ANCA)-associated vasculitis (AAV) compared with other autoimmune diseases. We investigated central and peripheral B-cell development to identify the causes for the defect in B-cell reconstitution after RTX therapy.