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

Figure 2

Altered expression of lipid rafts and F-actin in SLE B cells was analyzed by flow cytometry and confocal microscopy. (a) Expression of lipid rafts on SLE B cells was analyzed by flow cytometry. SLE B cells have more lipid rafts compartments than normal B cells. Active SLE B cells have more lipid rafts compartments than inactive SLE B cells. (b) The association between the percentage of lipid rafts (CTB) expressing B cells and the SLEDAI-score or anti-dsDNA antibody titer was analyzed by Spearman’s rank correlation test. There was a significant positive correlation between the percentage of lipid rafts (CTB) expressing B cells and the SLEDAI-score or anti-dsDNA antibody titer. (c) Expression pattern of lipid rafts and F-actin in B cells was detected by confocal microscopy. There were different expression patterns of lipid rafts and F-actin in B cells from SLE patients, Sjögren’s syndrome patients, and control subjects.

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