Consideration of Rituximab for fibrodysplasia ossificans progressiva.

Abstract

Fibrodysplasia ossificans progressiva (FOP) is a severe, progressive disease of the musculoskeletal system. Muscles, tendons and other connective tissues ossify after minor trauma, and patients often become encased in a second immobile skeleton. There is no known cure or treatment for FOP. It has been found that lymphocytes from FOP patients elaborate excess levels of bone morphogenic protein-4 (BMP-4). Given this, it has been suggested that allogenic bone marrow transplantation (BMT) possibly could be a cure for FOP, and drawn attention to a previously unappreciated case of an FOP patient who had successful BMT for aplastic anemia with apparent short- and medium-term arresting of the FOP disease process. However, BMT has non-trivial associated morbidity and mortality. Here, it is noted that if B cells are found to be the lymphocytes responsible for excess BMP-4 production in FOP, use of Rituximab, a monoclonal anti-CD20 antibody which effectively targets B cells, could be a less permanent and less risky treatment alternative for FOP.

• Authors: Eric Lewin Altschuler
• Journal: Medical hypotheses (Med Hypotheses) Vol. 63 Issue 3 Pg. 407-8 ( 2004) ISSN: 0306-9877 [Print] United States
• PMID: 15288357 (Publication Type: Journal Article)
• Copyright: Copyright 2004 Elsevier Ltd.

Chemical References

• Antibodies, Monoclonal
• Antibodies, Monoclonal, Murine-Derived
• Rituximab

Topics

• Antibodies, Monoclonal (administration & dosage)
• Antibodies, Monoclonal, Murine-Derived
• B-Lymphocytes (drug effects, immunology)
• Bone Marrow Transplantation (methods)
• Clinical Trials as Topic
• Evidence-Based Medicine
• Humans
• Myositis Ossificans (drug therapy, immunology, surgery)
• Rituximab
• Treatment Outcome