Lately, the importance of regulatory B cells has been implicated in a series of autoimmune disease mouse models

[16, 20, 43, 44]. These studies indicate that different B-cell subsets could have different roles during autoimmune diseases. We have earlier shown that CD25+ B cells in the PBMCs fraction from patients with RA and systemic lupus erythematosus compared with healthy controls exhibit both a more mature and activated phenotype and seem to belong to the memory B-cell pool [4, 45]. It is thus possible that the CD25+ B-cell subset is involved in the pathogenesis of these diseases, but the exact functional role of these cells is still unknown. They could either be a part of the regulatory B-cell subset as they have

the ability to produce IL-10 or belong to the more pathogenic cell pool as they have the ability to present antigen and migrate. More detailed studies are needed Fulvestrant to fully understand the mechanism of action of these cells in autoimmunity and inflammation. In conclusion, we have clearly shown that murine CD25+ B cells have functionally different properties compared with CD25− B cells. These data suggest that CD25+ B cells are a very active and mobile subset of B cells, Compound Library and an important player in immune regulation that might belong to the memory B-cell subset. However, further investigation is needed to understand the pathway and importance of CD25 expression on B cells in vivo. This research was supported by the Swedish Medical Society, King Gustav V 80-years Foundation, the Adlerbertska

Research Foundation, Magnus Bergvalls Foundation, Wilhelm and Martina Lundgrens Science Foundation, Göteborg Medical Society, the Lars Hierta Memorial Foundation, the Swedish Association against Rheumatism, the Swedish Medical Research Council, the Nanna Svartz Foundation, Rune and Ulla Almlovs foundation, Family Kristler and Tholens foundation, CMR, and the Sahlgrenska through Academy at Göteborg University. The authors declare that they have no commercial interest. AT and MB designed the study. SA carried out the experiments, analysed the data and prepared the manuscript. IG contributed to manuscript preparation. “
“Little information is available regarding changes in immune status for patients with Mycobacterium avium complex (MAC) lung disease during antibiotic therapy. Serum immunomolecules from 42 patients with MAC lung disease were assayed comparatively using an array-based system according to (i) patients with MAC lung disease at the time of diagnosis versus healthy controls and (ii) alterations after 12 months of antibiotic therapy in the MAC lung disease group. In addition, cytokine analyses were performed to determine whether cytokine responses were associated specifically with the disease phenotype, treatment outcome and aetiological agent.