B cell depletion can be effective in multiple sclerosis but failed in a patient with advanced childhood cerebral X-linked adrenoleukodystrophy. (August 2019)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Rosewich, Hendrik; Nessler, Stefan; Brück, Wolfgang; Gärtner, Jutta
• Is Part Of: Therapeutic advances in neurological disorders. Volume 12(2019)
• Publication Date: 2019-08
• Subjects: B cells -- multiple sclerosis -- rituximab -- X-ALD -- X-linked adrenoleukodystrophy; Nervous system -- Diseases -- Periodicals; Nervous system -- Degeneration -- Periodicals; Nervous system -- Diseases -- Treatment -- Periodicals; Nervous System Diseases -- therapy -- Periodicals; Neurodegenerative Diseases -- Periodicals; Système nerveux -- Maladies -- Périodiques; Système nerveux -- Dégénérescence -- Périodiques; Système nerveux; Système nerveux -- Maladies -- Traitement -- Périodiques; 616.805
• DOI: 10.1177/1756286419868133
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1756-2856

Abstract

Rituximab exerts its clinical efficacy by its specific pattern of depletion of CD20 + B lymphocytes and it has been demonstrated that rituximab is an effective treatment for relapsing remitting multiple sclerosis. X-linked adrenoleukodystrophy (X-ALD), the most common monogenetic neuroinflammatory disorder, shares substantial overlap with multiple sclerosis in the neuropathological changes found in brain tissues in advanced stages of the disease. While there is no effective therapy for these patients, we hypothesized that rituximab might be effective in arresting the neuroinflammatory process. Our detailed clinical, imaging and immunological data revealed that rituximab is not effective in advanced stages of X-ALD and consequently should not be applied for compassionate use in these patients.