title: Antibodies against interferon-beta in multiple sclerosis.
abstract: We measured the frequency of binding antibody (BAB) and neutralizing antibody (NAB) against interferon-beta (IFN-beta) in sera from 827 patients with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS) using various IFN-beta medications. Of the 827 patients, 363 (43.9%) had serum BAB after more than 12 months of IFN-beta treatment. Of the 363 BAB-positive sera, we analyzed 137 for BAB using a myxovirus-resistant protein A (MxA) protein induction assay (ELISA) and an MxA messenger RNA (mRNA) induction assay (real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR)). We obtained similar results for each serum in both NAB assays, indicating a good correlation between transcription and translation of MxA. We tested all 363 sera by real-time PCR, and NAB was present in 70.8% of BAB-positive sera, or 31.1% of the 827 patients with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS). Real-time PCR offers several advantages for measuring NAB compared with the MxA protein induction enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and should be used routinely for NAB among patients with MS using IFN-beta treatment.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Haukeland University Hospital, N-5021 Bergen, Norway.
authors.forename: Nina Karin
authors.initials: NK
authors.lastname: Aarskog
authors.forename: Tove
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Marøy
authors.forename: Kjell-Morten
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: Myhr
authors.forename: Christian A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Vedeler
mesh_terms: D000906:Antibodies / Q000097:blood*; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D019204:GTP-Binding Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D006801:Humans; D016899:Interferon-beta / Q000276:immunology*; D009103:Multiple Sclerosis / Q000276:immunology*; D064547:Myxovirus Resistance Proteins; D009500:Neutralization Tests; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000032:analysis
chemical_list: D000906:Antibodies; C579071:MX1 protein, human; D064547:Myxovirus Resistance Proteins; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D016899:Interferon-beta; D019204:GTP-Binding Proteins