Lupus & antiphospholipid syndrome
Type I interferons enhance B cell activation and promote differentiation of double negative 2 cells in SLE
Authors' conclusion
Type I IFN promotes human B cell activation and DN2 differentiation, supporting IFN blockade as a strategy to reduce pathogenic B cells and prevent SLE flares.
Study context
- Population
- Patients with SLE (quiescent or recently flaring) and healthy controls; PBMCs analysed
- Participants
- 18 / 25 / 41
- Comparison
- Recently flaring vs quiescent SLE vs healthy controls; HC naïve B cells stimulated with and without interferon (IFNs)
- Healthy controls (HCs)n = 18reference
- Quiescentn = 25
- Flaringn = 41
Methodological detailscytometry by time of flight, in vitro stimulation
- Cytometry by time of flight
- In vitro stimulation
Main finding
As reported in the abstract
- All B cell subsets exhibited higher ISP levels in flaring than quiescent disease
- DN2 cells more abundant in flaring patients and correlated with the ISP score
- ISP scores strongly correlated with markers of B cell activation, even after controlling for disease status
- In vitro, IFNα and IFNβ promoted DN2 differentiation in HC B cells
- In patients treated with anifrolumab, DN2 frequency and ISP scores significantly decreased
Original publication
Type I interferons enhance B cell activation and promote differentiation of double negative 2 cells in SLE. Lupus Sci Med. Published 28 June 2026. doi:10.
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