B cell depletion may lead to normalization of anti-platelet,anti-erythrocyte and antiphospholipid antibodies in systemic lupus erythematosus

Several reports have recently stressed the efficacy of rituximab, a chimaeric anti-CD20 monoclonal antibody, in the treatment of autoimmune diseases (1-10). One of the rationales for B lymphocyte depletion in autoimmune diseases is the lowering of possible pathogenic autoantibody levels through the reduction of autoantibody-producing B cell clones. . .