During 3 years treatment of primary progressive multiple sclerosis with glatiramer acetate, specific antibodies switch from IgG1 to IgG4

J Neuroimmunol. 2006 Aug;177(1-2):161-6. doi: 10.1016/j.jneuroim.2006.04.024. Epub 2006 Jun 12.

Abstract

In this study we analyzed the humoral immune response to glatiramer acetate in 16 GA-treated primary progressive MS patients and 9 placebo patients from the PROMiSe study. We have demonstrated that all multiple sclerosis patients (n=16) continuously treated with GA for 3 years developed anti-GA antibodies that peaked at month 3 and remained elevated during the whole study. We have also demonstrated that initially GA-reactive antibodies of the IgG1 subclass predominate, peaking at month 9 of therapy, but after 9 months IgG1 decreases while anti-GA antibodies of the IgG4 subclass increase and remain high for the 3 years of follow-up. These results support a shift from Th1 to Th2 in the antibody response to glatiramer acetate treatment.

Publication types

  • Randomized Controlled Trial

MeSH terms

  • Antibody Specificity
  • Cells, Cultured
  • Double-Blind Method
  • Female
  • Glatiramer Acetate
  • Humans
  • Immunoglobulin G / blood*
  • Immunosuppressive Agents / immunology
  • Immunosuppressive Agents / therapeutic use
  • Leukocytes, Mononuclear / drug effects
  • Leukocytes, Mononuclear / immunology
  • Longitudinal Studies
  • Male
  • Multiple Sclerosis, Chronic Progressive / blood
  • Multiple Sclerosis, Chronic Progressive / drug therapy*
  • Multiple Sclerosis, Chronic Progressive / immunology*
  • Peptides / immunology*
  • Peptides / therapeutic use*
  • Th1 Cells / drug effects
  • Th1 Cells / immunology
  • Th2 Cells / drug effects
  • Th2 Cells / immunology
  • Time Factors
  • Up-Regulation / drug effects
  • Up-Regulation / immunology

Substances

  • Immunoglobulin G
  • Immunosuppressive Agents
  • Peptides
  • Glatiramer Acetate