BAFF Induces Tertiary Lymphoid Structures and Positions T Cells within the Glomeruli during Lupus Nephritis.

Tissue-specific immune responses play an important role in the pathology of autoimmune diseases. In systemic lupus erythematosus, deposits of IgG-immune complexes and the activation of complement in the kidney have long been thought to promote inflammation and lupus nephritis. However, the events that localize cells in non-lymphoid tertiary organs and sustain tissue-specific immune responses remain undefined. In this manuscript, we show that BAFF promotes events leading to lupus nephritis. Using an inducible model of systemic lupus erythematosus, we found that passive transfer of antinucleosome IgG into AID-/-MRL/lpr mice elevated autoantibody levels and promoted lupus nephritis by inducing BAFF production in the kidneys, and the formation of renal tertiary lymphoid structures (TLSs). Reducing BAFF in vivo prevented the formation of TLSs and lupus nephritis; however, it did not reduce immune cell infiltrates, or the deposits of IgG and complement in the kidney. Mechanistically, lowering BAFF levels also diminished the number of T cells positioned inside the glomeruli and reduced inflammation. Thus, BAFF plays a previously unappreciated role in lupus nephritis by inducing renal TLSs and regulating the position of T cells within the glomeruli.

Characterization of Casirivimab Plus Imdevimab, Sotrovimab, and Bamlanivimab Plus Etesevimab-Derived Interference in Serum Protein Electrophoresis and Immunofixation Electrophoresis.

BACKGROUND: Therapeutic monoclonal antibodies can be a source of assay interference in clinical serum protein electrophoresis (SPEP) and immunofixation electrophoresis (IFE), producing monoclonal bands that can be misinterpreted as a monoclonal gammopathy related to a B-cell or plasma cell neoplasm. The extent to which new anti-COVID-19 monoclonal antibodies produce this interference is unknown. METHODS: Casirivimab plus imdevimab, sotrovimab, and bamlanivimab plus etesevimab were spiked into patient serum samples to evaluate for SPEP/IFE interference, to characterize the position of therapy-derived bands relative to a reference band (either combined beta band or beta 1 band, depending on instrument platform), and to confirm heavy and light chain utilization of each medication. Serum samples from patients who had recently received casirivimab plus imdevimab or sotrovimab were also evaluated for comparison. RESULTS: When spiked into serum samples, all tested anti-COVID-19 monoclonal antibodies generated interference in SPEP/IFE. Importantly, the patterns of interference differed between spiked serum samples and serum from patients who had recently received casirivimab plus imdevimab or sotrovimab. CONCLUSIONS: Imdevimab can be added to the growing list of therapeutic monoclonal antibodies that produce sustained interference in SPEP/IFE. Although casirivimab and sotrovimab also produce assay interference in vitro, these antibodies are not reliably detected in serum from recently infused patients. The value of relative band position in recognizing bands that may represent therapeutic monoclonal antibodies is also emphasized. Clinicians and laboratorians should consider therapeutic monoclonal antibody interference in diagnostic SPEP/IFE and review a patient's medication list when new or transient monoclonal bands are identified.