Intrathecal anti‐CD20 efficiently depletes meningeal B cells in CNS autoimmunity. (3rd July 2014)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Lehmann‐Horn, Klaus; Kinzel, Silke; Feldmann, Linda; Radelfahr, Florentine; Hemmer, Bernhard; Traffehn, Sarah; Bernard, Claude C. A.; Stadelmann, Christine; Brück, Wolfgang; Weber, Martin S.
• Is Part Of: Annals of clinical and translational neurology. Volume 1:Number 7(2014)
• Page Start: 490
• Page End: 496
• Publication Date: 2014-07-03
• Subjects: Nervous system -- Diseases -- Periodicals; Neurology -- Periodicals; 616.8005
• DOI: 10.1002/acn3.71
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 2328-9503

Abstract

<abstract abstract-type="main" id="acn371-abs-0001"> <title>Abstract</title> <p>Clinical trials revealed that systemic administration of B‐cell‐depleting anti‐CD20 antibodies can hold lesion formation in the early relapsing‐remitting phase of multiple sclerosis (MS). Throughout the secondary‐progressive (SP) course of MS, pathogenic B cells may, however, progressively replicate within the central nervous system (CNS) itself, which is largely inaccessible to systemic anti‐CD20 treatment. Utilizing the murine MS model of experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis, we show that intrathecal (i.t.) administration of anti‐CD20 alone very efficiently depletes meningeal B cells from established CNS lesions. In SP‐MS patients, adding i.t. administration of anti‐CD20 to its systemic use may be a valuable strategy to target pathogenic B‐cell function.</p> </abstract>