Therapeutic target of memory B cells depletion helps to tailor administration frequency of rituximab in myasthenia gravis.
Rituximab (RTX) has demonstrated efficacy in limiting relapses in myasthenia gravis (MG). We investigated the interest of CD27+ memory B cell monitoring in patients as a biological marker of clinical relapse. Twenty-four patients have been treated with RTX (375mg/m(2)/week-month as an induction treatment). Maintenance treatment consisted with either systematic treatment every 3months or only when CD27+ memory B cells were detectable. After the induction treatment, the mean infusions were 1.3/year compared with 4/year. We suggest that RTX administration frequency can be decreased safely by monitoring the re-emerging CD27+ memory B cells.
Service de Neurologie, Hôpital Pasteur 2, 30 voie Romaine, 06002 Nice, France. Electronic address: lebrun.c@chu-nice.fr.
Christine
C
Lebrun
Service de Neurologie, Hôpital Pasteur 2, 30 voie Romaine, 06002 Nice, France.
Véronique
V
Bourg
Service de Neurologie, Hôpital Pasteur 2, 30 voie Romaine, 06002 Nice, France.
Saskia
S
Bresch
Service de Neurologie, Hôpital Pasteur 2, 30 voie Romaine, 06002 Nice, France.
Mikael
M
Cohen
Service d'Immunologie, Hôpital de l'Archet 1, Avenue saint Antoine de Ginestière, 06000 Nice, France.
Maria Alessandra
MA
Rosenthal-Allieri
Service de Neurologie, Hôpital Pasteur 2, 30 voie Romaine, 06002 Nice, France.
Claude
C
Desnuelle
Service d'Immunologie, Hôpital de l'Archet 1, Avenue saint Antoine de Ginestière, 06000 Nice, France.
Michel
M
Ticchioni
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000906:Antibodies / Q000378:metabolism; D015703:Antigens, CD / Q000378:metabolism*; D016175:B-Lymphocyte Subsets / Q000187:drug effects*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007155:Immunologic Factors / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009157:Myasthenia Gravis / Q000188:drug therapy*; D020794:Receptor Protein-Tyrosine Kinases / Q000276:immunology; D011950:Receptors, Cholinergic / Q000276:immunology; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D000069283:Rituximab / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D018127:Tumor Necrosis Factor Receptor Superfamily, Member 7 / Q000378:metabolism; D055815:Young Adult
D000906:Antibodies; D015703:Antigens, CD; D007155:Immunologic Factors; D011950:Receptors, Cholinergic; D018127:Tumor Necrosis Factor Receptor Superfamily, Member 7; D000069283:Rituximab; C095714:MUSK protein, human; D020794:Receptor Protein-Tyrosine Kinases
Immunosuppression; Memory B cells; Myasthenia gravis; Rituximab