Development of Neutralizing Antibodies in Patients with Relapsing-Remitting Multiple Sclerosis Treated with IFN-β1a

Sixty-eight patients with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS) were treated with 3 million or 9 million i.u. of recombinant interferon-beta1a (recIFN-beta1a) s.c. three times a week for 2 years. Their sera were tested for antibodies neutralizing the IFN (NAb) in a bioassay. Sera with titers > or = 1:20 were considered positive. We detected NAb in 3.2%, 13.8%, and 15.9% of the patients in sera obtained at 3, 6, and 24 months, respectively. The incidence was not related to the IFN dose. Interestingly, during the 6 month baseline period before the start of the study, relapse rates, baseline disability, and the volume of lesions on T2-weighted images were significantly higher in patients who developed NAb during treatment. Because of interpatient variability, no definitive relationship was observed between NAb formation and loss of clinical or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) response.

[1]  L. Wilkins Neutralizing antibodies during treatment of multiple sclerosis with interferon beta-1b , 1996, Neurology.

[2]  C. Pozzilli,et al.  Magnetic resonance imaging changes with recombinant human interferon-beta-1a: a short term study in relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis. , 1996, Journal of neurology, neurosurgery, and psychiatry.

[3]  G. Antonelli,et al.  Antibodies to interferon (IFN) in hepatitis C patients relapsing while continuing recombinant IFN‐α2 therapy , 1996, Clinical and experimental immunology.

[4]  C. Granger,et al.  Intramuscular interferon beta‐1a for disease progression in relapsing multiple sclerosis , 1996, Annals of neurology.

[5]  G. Antonelli,et al.  Fate of antibody to interferon (IFN) in chronic hepatitis C patients treated with recombinant IFN alpha 2 and retreated with lymphoblastoid IFN alpha , 1995 .

[6]  P. S. Albert,et al.  Changes in the amount of diseased white matter over time in patients with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis , 1995, Neurology.

[7]  G. Mancia,et al.  Breakthrough during recombinant interferon alfa therapy in patients with chronic hepatitis C virus infection: Prevalence, etiology, and management , 1995, Hepatology.

[8]  A. Reder,et al.  Interferons and Multiple Sclerosis , 1994 .

[9]  R. Kikinis,et al.  Longitudinal MRI in multiple sclerosis , 1994, Neurology.

[10]  A. Alberti,et al.  Interferon antibodies in patients with chronic hepatitic C virus infection treated with recombinant interferon alpha-2 alpha. , 1994, Journal of hepatology.

[11]  H. McFarland,et al.  Clinical worsening in multiple sclerosis is associated with increased frequency and area of gadopentetate dimeglumine–enhancing magnetic resonance imaging lesions , 1993, Annals of neurology.

[12]  O. Turriziani,et al.  Neutralizing Antibodies to Interferon-α: Relative Frequency in Patients Treated with Different Interferon Preparations , 1991, The Journal of infectious diseases.

[13]  A. Lok,et al.  Interferon antibodies may negate the antiviral effects of recombinant α‐interferon treatment in patients with chronic hepatitis B virus infection , 1990 .

[14]  D. Longo,et al.  Resistance to recombinant interferon alfa-2a in hairy-cell leukemia associated with neutralizing anti-interferon antibodies. , 1988, The New England journal of medicine.

[15]  H. Deicher,et al.  CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE OF ANTI-IFN-α ANTIBODY TITRES DURING INTERFERON THERAPY , 1987, The Lancet.

[16]  Y. Kawade [74] Quantitation of neutralization of interferon by antibody , 1986 .

[17]  D. Levine,et al.  Crossed Wernicke's aphasia , 1984, Neurology.

[18]  J. Kurtzke Rating neurologic impairment in multiple sclerosis , 1983, Neurology.

[19]  H. Weiner,et al.  Intensive immunosuppression in progressive multiple sclerosis. A randomized, three-arm study of high-dose intravenous cyclophosphamide, plasma exchange, and ACTH. , 1983, The New England journal of medicine.

[20]  P. Dore‐Duffy,et al.  Antinuclear antibodies in multiple sclerosis. , 1982, Archives of neurology.

[21]  K. Pflughaupt,et al.  ANTITHYROID ANTIBODIES IN MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS , 1980, The Lancet.