Figure 6

B-cell phenotype and anti-modified and citrullinated vimentin (anti-MCV) titers on rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients after 6 months of adalimumab therapy. After 6 months of anti-tumor necrosis factor (anti-TNF) therapy, B-cell phenotype and serum anti-MCV antibodies from 11 RA patients, who exhibited at least a moderate response to the treatment, were reassessed. (a) Graphics summarizing the percentages of CD86⁺ cells among naïve B cells, memory B cells, and plasmablasts from RA patients before and after 6 months of anti-TNF therapy. *P < 0.05, two-tailed Wilcoxon signed-rank test. (b) Graphics summarizing FcγRIIb expression on naïve B cells, memory B cells, and plasmablasts from RA patients before and after 6 months of anti-TNF therapy. Expression was quantified as mean fluorescence intensity (MFI). **P < 0.01, two-tailed paired Student t test. (c) Comparison of FcγRIIb expression between naïve B cells, memory B cells, and plasmablasts from RA patients after anti-TNF therapy. The differences in FcγRIIb expression levels between B-cell subpopulations were analyzed with the two-tailed paired Student t test; *P < 0.05, **P < 0.01, ***P < 0.001. (d) Comparison of serum anti-MCV antibody levels before and after 6 months of anti-TNF therapy. P > 0.05, two-tailed paired Student t test. Horizontal lines represent mean values.