Eliminating autoantibody-producing plasma cells in neuroinflammation via ERK inhibition

B cell-depleting therapies using anti-CD20 monoclonal antibodies have been successful for the treatment of relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS); however, B cell-depletion showed incomplete efficacy for the treatment of autoantibody-mediated autoimmune conditions, including Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE) and neuromyelitis optica (NMO), most likely because of the failure to eliminate autoantibody-producing long-lived plasma cells (PCs). Novel approaches to eliminate autoantibody-producing PCs are therefore urgently needed.We will test the central hypothesis that ERK2-signaling is critical for generation and survival of autoantibody-producing LLPCs in bone marrow and CNS niches.