Sex Differences in B Cells From the Joints of Children With Oligoarticular Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis
Authors' conclusion
These findings demonstrate prominent B cell dysregulation in oligo JIA and implicate sex as an important biologic factor in B cell responses in this disease.
Study context
- Population
- Children with oligoarticular juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) and controls
- Comparison
- B cells from synovial fluid (SF) and blood of children with oligo JIA vs blood and tonsils of controls; female vs male patients
- Oligo JIAn = 44
- Outcome
- Intra-articular B cell characteristics
Methodological detailsFlow cytometry, B cell receptor (BCR) repertoire analysis and autoantibody profiling
- Flow cytometry, BCR repertoire analysis and autoantibody profiling
Main finding
As reported in the abstract
- Bmem cells and heterogeneous subsets of CD21lo B cells enriched in oligo JIA-SF vs blood of patients and controls
- Female vs male patients: greater proportions of intra-articular T peripheral helper (Tph) cells expressing B cell help factors, and of Bmem cells, plasmablasts and age-/autoimmune-associated B cells
- Sex differences in B cells only in the joints, not in blood or tonsil, and not explained by age at onset, ANA status or severity
- SF Bmem cells from female patients: autoreactive characteristics (longer CDR3 lengths, increased usage of autoreactive BCR gene segments), not found in blood Bmem cells
- Diverse array of autoantibodies accumulated in SF of female patients vs blood of patients with JIA and controls
Original publication
Sex Differences in B Cells From the Joints of Children With Oligoarticular Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis. Arthritis Rheumatol. Published 21 May 2025. doi:10.
Composed by AI from the published abstract and checked against it. How Briefs are made →