Multiple Sclerosis Research Today is a free monthly online journal that collates and summarizes the latest research about Multiple Sclerosis, including details on diagnosis, symptoms, treatment, prognosis.

Autoantibody synthesis in primary progressive multiple sclerosis patients treated with interferon beta-1b.

Bitsch A, Dressel A, Meier K, Bogumil T, Deisenhammer F, Tumani H, Kitze B, Poser S, Weber F

Neurologische Klinik, Ruppiner Kliniken GmbH, Fehrbelliner Strabe 38, 16816, Neuruppin, Germany. a.bitsch@ruppiner-kliniken.de

We conducted an open-labeled clinical trial of interferon beta-1b (IFNB) treatment in 20 patients with primary progressive multiple sclerosis (PPMS) and longitudinally monitored autoantibodies against double-stranded DNA (dsDNA), thyroid peroxidase (TPO),myelin basic protein (MBP), myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein (MOG), synapsin and S-100B. Before treatment, one patient had elevated TPO antibodies, four patients had elevated antibodies against S-100B, two patients against MOG or synapsin and one patient against MBP. In two patients we observed a continuous increase of dsDNA or TPO antibodies above the normal range. This rise paralleled IFNB treatment. In addition, 11 of 20 patients developed neutralizing antibodies against IFNB. There was no increase of autoantibodies directed against central nervous system antigens. Like patients with relapsing remitting or secondary progressive multiple sclerosis, PPMS patients may be at risk of an autoimmune response during IFNB treatment.

Published 12 January 2005 in J Neurol, 251(12): 1498-501.
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