Intrathecal anti-CD20 efficiently depletes meningeal B cells in CNS autoimmunity.

Abstract

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.

• Authors: Klaus Lehmann-Horn, Silke Kinzel, Linda Feldmann, Florentine Radelfahr, Bernhard Hemmer, Sarah Traffehn, Claude C A Bernard, Christine Stadelmann, Wolfgang Brück, Martin S Weber
• Journal: Annals of clinical and translational neurology (Ann Clin Transl Neurol) Vol. 1 Issue 7 Pg. 490-6 (Jul 2014) ISSN: 2328-9503 [Print] United States
• PMID: 25356419 (Publication Type: Journal Article)