Abatacept is a biologic drug that is a fusion protein formed from the B7-binding domain of CTLA-4 fused to the human IgG1 constant region. In patients suffering from rheumatoid arthritis (RA), high levels of granzyme B in the synovial fluid of inflamed joints is thought to contribute to joint erosion. When treated with abatacept, a subset of patients shows significant improvement in their RA symptoms together with decreased levels of granzyme B in their affected joints. These data indicate that the granzyme B found in RA patients' inflamed joints is predominantly made by: A) Antigen-presenting cells such as dendritic cells B) Activated macrophages C) Effector T cells D) FoxP3+ T_reg cells E) Neutrophils

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Granzyme B is a protease that is predominantly produced by cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTLs) and natural killer (NK) cells. Therefore, the granzyme B found in the synovial fluid of RA patients' inflamed joints is likely contributed by effector T cells. Abatacept, which targets and binds to CD80/86 on antigen-presenting cells (APCs), prevents APCs from activating T cells and thus may reduce the number of effector T cells in the inflamed joints of some RA patients.

Abatacept Is a Biologic Drug That Is a Fusion Protein