Proteomic analysis of B cells in peripheral lymphatic system reveals the dynamics during the systemic lupus erythematosus progression

Abstract

In this study, we conducted a comprehensive proteomic analysis of B cells from the spleen, mesenteric lymph nodes (mLN), and peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) in a time-course model of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) using female MRL/lpr mice. By combining fluorescence-activated cell sorting (FACS) and 4D-Data-Independent Acquisition (4D-DIA) mass spectrometry, we quantified nearly 8000 proteins, identifying significant temporal and tissue-specific proteomic changes during SLE progression. PBMC-derived B cells exhibited early proteomic alterations by Week 9, while spleen-derived B cells showed similar changes by Week 12. We identified key regulatory proteins, including BAFF, BAFFR, and NFKB2, involved in B cell survival and activation, as well as novel markers such as CD11c and CD117, which have previously been associated with other immune cells. The study highlights the dynamic reprogramming of B cell proteomes across different tissues, with distinct contributions to SLE pathogenesis, providing valuable insights into the molecular mechanisms underlying B cell dysregulation in lupus. These findings offer potential therapeutic targets and biomarkers for SLE.

Graphical abstract

Keywords

Proteomics / B cells / Beripheral lymphatic system / SLE

Acknowledgements

We thank the funding support from the Strategic Priority Research Programme of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (XDB38000000) and the National Natural Science Foundation of China (92253304).

RIGHTS & PERMISSIONS

2025 The Author(s)