Single-cell level characterization of B cell depletion and repopulation following rituximab in systemic lupus erythematosus

Abstract Objective Rituximab, a CD20 + B cell depletion therapy, is frequently used in the treatment of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). However, variability in patient response highlights the need for a deeper understanding of the underlying immune cell dynamics of B cell depletion and repopulation. Methods In this study, we conducted longitudinal single-cell profiling of nine SLE patients treated with rituximab from pretreatment to up to 15 months post-treatment. These were compared to eight healthy controls. We profiled 169,513 immune cells via single-cell RNA, surface protein, B cell receptor (BCR), and T cell receptor (TCR) sequencing and sequenced bulk BCR repertoires in parallel. Results Significant depletion of naïve, memory, and age-associated B cells (ABCs) was observed early post-treatment, followed by later repopulation of mainly transitional B cells. BCR repertoire analysis revealed reduced diversity and persistent clones in antigen-experienced cells at early post-treatment, but these effects were not long-lasting. Notably, repopulated naïve B cells in rituximab responders exhibited reduced NF-κB pathway activation, aligning with lower BAFF-R surface protein levels. In non-B cells, we identified 27 differentially expressed genes across 7 immune cell subtypes post-rituximab, with regulatory CD4 T cells and double negative (DN) T cells showing the most transcriptional changes. Responders specifically had increased expression of genes related to cytotoxicity, MHC class II antigen presentation, and T cell activation in CD4 T central memory (TCM) and DN T cells. Conclusion Our longitudinal profiling provides single-cell resolution of the shifts in immune cell dynamics following B cell depletion.