title: Immune response to a recombinant human TNFR55-IgG1 fusion protein: auto-antibodies in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and multiple sclerosis (MS) patients have neither neutralizing nor agonist activities.
abstract: A substantial number of patients enrolled in clinical studies of TNFR55-IgG1 in TNF-neutralizing treatment of rheumatoid arthritis and multiple sclerosis developed antibodies to the recombinant human protein. To enable more detailed investigation subgroups of patients donated small blood samples. TNFR55-IgG1 reactive antibodies were affinity purified from plasma; IgM and IgG class antibodies reactive with TNFR55-IgG1 were found which varied considerably in titer and kinetics of appearance among individual patients. The affinity purified antibody fractions included specificities to the receptor moiety of TNFR55-IgG1, but also rheumatoid factor and other pre-existing antibodies directed to the IgG1 moiety. The antibodies bound to Fc receptors, but not detectably to TNFR55 at the human cell surface. No agonistic nor neutralizing activities of these antibodies were detected. Major linear epitopes clustered in the TNFR55 sequence in close proximity to the IgG1 fusion site. The relative content of antibodies to linear and conformational epitopes was highly variable among patients. Route and frequency of administration rather than underlying disease appeared to influence the major linear B cell epitopes selected.
authors.affiliation: Department of Preclinical Research, Central Nervous System Diseases, F Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd, CH-4070 Basel, Switzerland.
authors.forename: U
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Christen
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Thuerkauf
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Stevens
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Lesslauer
mesh_terms: D015703:Antigens, CD / Q000276:immunology*; D001172:Arthritis, Rheumatoid / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology*; D001323:Autoantibodies / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology*; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D002846:Chromatography, Affinity; D004730:Endothelium, Vascular / Q000166:cytology; D018604:Epitope Mapping; D018985:Epitopes, B-Lymphocyte / Q000276:immunology; D018922:HL-60 Cells; D006801:Humans; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000276:immunology*; D018799:Intercellular Adhesion Molecule-1 / Q000096:biosynthesis; D009103:Multiple Sclerosis / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology*; D009500:Neutralization Tests; D011961:Receptors, Fc / Q000276:immunology; D018124:Receptors, Tumor Necrosis Factor / Q000276:immunology*; D047888:Receptors, Tumor Necrosis Factor, Type I; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins / Q000276:immunology; D015854:Up-Regulation
chemical_list: D015703:Antigens, CD; D001323:Autoantibodies; D018985:Epitopes, B-Lymphocyte; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D011961:Receptors, Fc; D018124:Receptors, Tumor Necrosis Factor; D047888:Receptors, Tumor Necrosis Factor, Type I; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins; D018799:Intercellular Adhesion Molecule-1