Fate of multiple sclerosis patients positive for neutralising antibodies towards interferon beta shifted to alternative treatments.
Relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (MS) has a very fluctuating course and responsiveness to interferon beta (IFN-beta) treatment in each patient is extremely difficult. Agreement exists about the negative role of neutralising antibodies (NAbs) on clinical efficacy and markers of IFN-beta bioavailability have been studied; no guidelines exist yet about what to do when a patient becomes NAbs positive or IFN biological activity is lost. In this study 405 MS patients have been longitudinally studied for NAbs and MxA expression. A spontaneous disappearance of NAbs was observed in a few patients with low antibody titre; according to the clinical course, a therapeutic modification has been made in patients persistently NAbs positive; in these patients NAbs persisted over time despite the interruption of IFN therapy.
Malucchi
S
S
Centro Riferimento Regionale Sclerosi Multipla, CReSM, & Neurobiologia Clinica, Ospedale Universitario S. Luigi, Regione Gonzole 10, I-10043 Orbassano, Italy. sclerosi.multipla@sanluigi.piemonte.it
Capobianco
M
M
Gilli
F
F
Marnetto
F
F
Caldano
M
M
Sala
A
A
Bertolotto
A
A
D000276:Adjuvants, Immunologic / Q000493:pharmacokinetics / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000906:Antibodies / Q000097:blood* / Q000235:genetics; D000917:Antibody Formation; D000918:Antibody Specificity; D001682:Biological Availability; D019204:GTP-Binding Proteins / Q000097:blood* / Q000235:genetics; D006801:Humans; D016899:Interferon-beta / Q000276:immunology* / Q000493:pharmacokinetics / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D020529:Multiple Sclerosis, Relapsing-Remitting / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000276:immunology*; D064547:Myxovirus Resistance Proteins; D011379:Prognosis; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000032:analysis; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D000276:Adjuvants, Immunologic; D000906:Antibodies; C579071:MX1 protein, human; D064547:Myxovirus Resistance Proteins; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D016899:Interferon-beta; D019204:GTP-Binding Proteins