Browsing by Subject "Immunologic Factors"

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    Rituximab, B-lymphocyte depletion, and preservation of beta-cell function
    (Massachusetts Medical Society, 2009-11-26) Pescovitz, Mark D.; Greenbaum, Carla J.; Krause-Steinrauf, Heidi; Becker, Dorothy J.; Gitelman, Stephen E.; Goland, Robin; Gottlieb, Peter A.; Marks, Jennifer B.; McGee, Paula F.; Moran, Antoinette M.; Raskin, Philip; Rodriguez, Henry; Schatz, Desmond A.; Wherrett, Diane; Wilson, Darrell M.; Lachin, John M.; Skyler, Jay S.; Type 1 Diabetes TrialNet Anti-CD20 Study Group; Medicine, School of Medicine
    BACKGROUND: The immunopathogenesis of type 1 diabetes mellitus is associated with T-lymphocyte autoimmunity. However, there is growing evidence that B lymphocytes play a role in many T-lymphocyte-mediated diseases. It is possible to achieve selective depletion of B lymphocytes with rituximab, an anti-CD20 monoclonal antibody. This phase 2 study evaluated the role of B-lymphocyte depletion in patients with type 1 diabetes. METHODS: We conducted a randomized, double-blind study in which 87 patients between 8 and 40 years of age who had newly diagnosed type 1 diabetes were assigned to receive infusions of rituximab or placebo on days 1, 8, 15, and 22 of the study. The primary outcome, assessed 1 year after the first infusion, was the geometric mean area under the curve (AUC) for the serum C-peptide level during the first 2 hours of a mixed-meal tolerance test. Secondary outcomes included safety and changes in the glycated hemoglobin level and insulin dose. RESULTS: At 1 year, the mean AUC for the level of C peptide was significantly higher in the rituximab group than in the placebo group. The rituximab group also had significantly lower levels of glycated hemoglobin and required less insulin. Between 3 months and 12 months, the rate of decline in C-peptide levels in the rituximab group was significantly less than that in the placebo group. CD19+ B lymphocytes were depleted in patients in the rituximab group, but levels increased to 69% of baseline values at 12 months. More patients in the rituximab group than in the placebo group had adverse events, mostly grade 1 or grade 2, after the first infusion. The reactions appeared to be minimal with subsequent infusions. There was no increase in infections or neutropenia with rituximab. CONCLUSIONS: A four-dose course of rituximab partially preserved beta-cell function over a period of 1 year in patients with type 1 diabetes. The finding that B lymphocytes contribute to the pathogenesis of type 1 diabetes may open a new pathway for exploration in the treatment of patients with this condition.
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    The Role of Choroid Plexus In IVIG-induced Beta-Amyloid Clearance
    (Elsevier, 2014-06-13) Gu, Huiying; Zhong, Zhaohui; Jiang, Wendy; Du, Eileen; Dodel, Richard; Farlow, Martin R.; Zheng, Wei; Du, Yansheng; Department of Neurology, IU School of Medicine
    We have shown that intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) contains anti-Aβ autoantibodies and IVIG could induce beta amyloid (Aβ) efflux from cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) to blood in both Multiple Sclerosis (MS) and Alzheimer disease (AD) patients. However, the molecular mechanism underlying IVIG-induced Aβ efflux remains unclear. In this study, we used amyloid precursor protein (AβPP) transgenic mice to investigate if the IVIG could induce efflux of Aβ from the brain and whether low-density lipoprotein receptor-related protein-1 (LRP1), a hypothetic Aβ transporter in blood-cerebrospinal fluid barrier (BCB); could mediate this clearance process. We currently provide strong evidence to demonstrate that IVIG could reduce brain Aβ levels by pulling Aβ into the blood system in AβPP transgenic mice. In the mechanistic study, IVIG could induce Aβ efflux through the in-vitro BCB membrane formed by cultured BCB epithelial cells. Both RAP (receptor-associated protein; a functional inhibitor of LRP1), and LRP1 siRNA were able to significantly inhibit the Aβ efflux. Should Aβ prove to be the underlying cause of AD, our results strongly suggest that IVIG could be beneficial in the therapy for Alzheimer's disease (AD) by inducing efflux of Aβ from the brain through the LRP1 in the BCB.