Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a disease associated with a risk of serious infections, in case of hyposplenia/asplenia incl. fulminant sepsis by encapsulated bacteria. For opsonization and phagocytosis of these agents are essential IgM natural Abs, produced by B cells of the splenic marginal zone.
Is supposed, that investigation the changes of memory/marginal-zone-like B cell subpopulations (CD19+IgD+CD27+ and CD19+IgM+CD27+) in peripheral blood (PB) should be used as a putative biomarkers for detection a potencial hyposplenia/asplenia of SLE in a prospective, comparative, and cross-over study.