{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,10,27]],"date-time":"2026-10-27T14:01:34Z","timestamp":1793109694613,"version":"4.5.0"},"reference-count":38,"publisher":"Frontiers Media SA","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2021,7,29]],"date-time":"2021-07-29T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1627516800000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":["frontiersin.org"],"crossmark-restriction":true},"short-container-title":["Front. Immunol."],"abstract":"<jats:p>Tocilizumab, a humanized anti-IL-6 receptor monoclonal antibody, showed its therapeutic efficacy on neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (NMOSD). To assess the immunological effects of this drug on B cells, follicular T helper (Tfh) cells, and peripheral T helper (Tph) cells in patients with NMOSD, peripheral B cell and Tfh cell phenotypes were evaluated in 26 patients with NMOSD before and after tocilizumab treatment by nine-color flow cytometry, as well as the expression of costimulatory and co-inhibitory molecules on B cells. Results showed that the frequency of CD27<jats:sup>+<\/jats:sup>IgD<jats:sup>\u2212<\/jats:sup> switched memory B cells, CD27<jats:sup>-<\/jats:sup>IgD<jats:sup>-<\/jats:sup> double-negative B cells, and CD27<jats:sup>high<\/jats:sup>CD38<jats:sup>high<\/jats:sup> antibody-secreting cells was increased in patients with NMOSD. Tocilizumab treatment led to a significant shift of B cells to na\u00efve B cells from memory B cells after 3 months. Three markers on B cells associated with T-cell activation (i.e., CD86 CD69, and HLA-DR) were downregulated after tocilizumab treatment. The frequencies of total Tfh and Tph cells were decreased, whereas that of follicular regulatory T cells tended to increase. Intrinsic increased PD-L1 and PD-L2 expression was characteristic of B cells in patients with NMOSD. Tocilizumab selectively restored PD-L1 on B-cell subsets. These results provided evidence that tocilizumab enhanced B- and T-cell homoeostasis by regulating B-cell differentiation and inhibiting lymphocyte activation in patients with NMOSD.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3389\/fimmu.2021.703931","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2021,7,29]],"date-time":"2021-07-29T11:51:30Z","timestamp":1627559490000},"update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3389\/crossmark-policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":16,"title":["Effects of Tocilizumab Therapy on Circulating B Cells and T Helper Cells in Patients With Neuromyelitis Optica Spectrum 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