%0 Journal Article %A Lyman, David %T B cell Therapy to Treat an Axonal Neuropathy in Mixed Connective Tissue Disease %J Caspian Journal of Neurological Sciences %V 3 %N 1 %U http://cjns.gums.ac.ir/article-1-154-en.html %R 10.18869/acadpub.cjns.3.8.46 %D 2017 %K B cell, Therapy, Giant Axonal Neuropathy, Mixed Connective Tissue Disease, %X The B cell is a vital contributor to humoral immunity. The B cell-specific antigen CD20 is expressed during B cell development, starting at the pre-B cell level and persists through B cell differentiation, but is lost during terminal differentiation to plasma cells. Rituximab is a monoclonal antibody that destroys both normal and malignant B cells that have CD20 on their surfaces and is therefore used to treat diseases characterized by excessive B cells, overactive B cells, or dysfunctional B cells. The connective tissue diseases and vasculitis mediated by B cell may cause various disorders of the peripheral nervous system especially axonal neuropathy. B cell–directed therapies may represent a promising new treatment for autoimmune axonal neuropathies. %> http://cjns.gums.ac.ir/article-1-154-en.pdf %P 46-53 %& 46 %! %9 Review %L A-10-32-65 %+ MPH retired, Department of Family Medicine, University of Tennessee, Jackson, Tennessee; dlymanmdmph@gmail.com %G eng %@ 2383-4307 %[ 2017