Fig. 2.

Kinetics of the plasma cell compartment in peripheral blood from a SLE patient with a lupus flare. Days after hospital admission are indicated. Peripheral blood CD19⁺ lymphocytes were gated and stained for expression of CD27 in combination with CD20. Plasma cells were identified as CD27⁺⁺/CD20⁻ cells. Frequencies of CD27⁺⁺ plasma cells were established at day 0, 3, 7, and 4 months after hospital admission. After 4 weeks of admission, the patient received intensive immunosuppressive therapy resulting in a clinical remission of SLE.