title: Anti-JC virus antibodies in rituximab-treated patients with neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder.
abstract: Rituximab, a chimeric monoclonal anti-CD20 antibody, has been proposed to be effective for neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (NMOSD). A concern for developing progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy (PML), which is caused by John Cunningham virus (JCV), has been suggested particularly in patients treated long term with rituximab. In this study, using a modified enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay with glutathione S-transferase-tagged VP1 as the antigen, we investigated the seroprevalence of anti-JCV antibodies among 78 Korean patients with NMOSD and the change in anti-JCV antibody serostatus following long-term rituximab treatment. The overall seroprevalence of anti-JCV antibodies was 69 % prior to rituximab administration. Over a mean of 4 years of repeated treatment with rituximab, no patient developed PML. Of 24 initially seronegative patients, none converted into seropositive, whereas six (11 %) of 54 initially seropositive patients converted into seronegative. Our results might support the safety of long-term rituximab treatment in patients with NMOSD with regard to the risk of developing PML.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Research Institute and Hospital of National Cancer Center, 323 Ilsan-ro, Ilsandong-gu, Goyang-si, Gyeonggi-do, Korea, herena20@hanmail.net.
authors.forename: Su-Hyun
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Jae-Won
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Hyun
authors.forename: In Hye
authors.initials: IH
authors.lastname: Jeong
authors.forename: AeRan
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Joung
authors.forename: Joung-Lim
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Yeon
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Dehmel
authors.forename: Ortwin
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Adams
authors.forename: Bernd C
authors.initials: BC
authors.lastname: Kieseier
authors.forename: Ho Jin
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Kim
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000097:blood*; D004185:Disability Evaluation; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007155:Immunologic Factors / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D007577:JC Virus / Q000276:immunology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009471:Neuromyelitis Optica / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000276:immunology; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D000069283:Rituximab / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric
chemical_list: D000914:Antibodies, Viral; D007155:Immunologic Factors; D000069283:Rituximab