Role of antibody-secreting cells as early biomarkers of immune response to influenza vaccination in rheumatoid arthritis patients treated with anti-TNF agents

Evaluation of: Kobie JJ, Zheng B, Bryk P et al. Decreased influenza-specific B cell responses in rheumatoid arthritis patients treated with anti-tumor necrosis factor. Arthritis Res. Ther. 13, R209 (2011). Specific anti-influenza antibodies, early (days 5-7) effector and late (1-6 month) memory B cells have been found to be reduced in immunized rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients undergoing treatment with TNF-α blocking agents compared with nontreated RA patients and healthy controls. On a per-patient basis, a direct correlation has also been demonstrated between the short-term antibody-secreting effector cells and the 1-month memory B cells, and influenza-specific antibody titer. This study has demonstrated for the first time the reduced specific B-cell and antibody response to influenza vaccine antigens in RA patients undergoing treatment with TNF-α-blocking agents and vaccinated against influenza. This methodological approach, which may allow the identification of early biomarkers, should be followed in order to improve knowledge of immune responses in selected categories of immunosuppressed patients and to modulate immune stimulation intensity and conditions to the level of defective immune response. © 2012 Future Medicine Ltd.