Effect of Leflunomide on the Abnormal Expression of Lipid Rafts and F-Actin in B Lymphocytes from Patients with Systemic Lupus Erythematosus

Figure 1

Surface phenotype of peripheral blood B cells was analyzed by flow cytometry and GM1 expression on B cells was detected by confocal microscopy. (a) SLE patients had a lower expression of CD27⁺IgD⁺ B cells than healthy controls, . SLE patients with renal injury had a higher expression of CD27⁺IgD⁺ B cells than SLE patients with no renal injury, . (b) The frequency of either CD38⁺CD95⁺ B cells or CD38⁺ B cells was significantly higher in SLE patients than in healthy controls, but there was no difference in the percentage of CD95⁺ B cells between SLE patients and healthy controls. The coexpression of CD38 and GM1 in SLE B cells was increased significantly in SLE patients. Horizontal line represents the median.

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