title: Effect of cladribine treatment on beta-2 microglobulin and soluble intercellular adhesion molecule 1 (ICAM-1) in patients with multiple sclerosis.
abstract: beta-2 Microglobulin (beta 2M) is a low molecular weight protein located extracellularly and associated with class 1 antigens of the major histocompatibility complex and is considered a marker for disease activity in immune disorders. Cladribine (2-chloro-2-deoxyadenosine, 2-CDA) is a potent lymphocytotoxic agent under investigation in the treatment in MS patients. As beta 2M levels may indicate inflammatory events in CNS we determined CSF-beta 2M and serum beta 2M levels in patients with relapsing-remitting MS before and after cladribine treatment as well as in a control group. There was a significant beta 2M decrease in sera but not in CSF in MS patients after the cladribine treatment, associated with a slight but significant clinical improvement measured by Kurtzke's Expanded Disability Status Scale. We also found a significant decrease in sICAM-1 level in CSF but not in sera in MS patients. The data support a role of cladribine in MS therapy and deliver new information on cladribine immunological effects in MS patients.
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Neuroimmunology, University School of Medicine, ul. Przybyszewskiego 49, 60-355 Poznań, Poland.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Niezgoda
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Losy
authors.forename: P D
authors.initials: PD
authors.lastname: Mehta
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D017338:Cladribine / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D018799:Intercellular Adhesion Molecule-1 / Q000097:blood* / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009103:Multiple Sclerosis / Q000097:blood / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid / Q000188:drug therapy*; D012995:Solubility; D001613:beta 2-Microglobulin / Q000097:blood* / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid
chemical_list: D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents; D001613:beta 2-Microglobulin; D018799:Intercellular Adhesion Molecule-1; D017338:Cladribine