Journal Article

B cells reappear less mature and more activated after their anti-CD20–mediated depletion in multiple sclerosis

Grondey, Katja, Brück, Wolfgang, Weber, Martin S., Nissimov, Nitzan, Hajiyeva, Zivar, Torke, Sebastian, Häusser-Kinzel, Silke

2020

Overview

B cell depletion via anti-CD20 antibodies is a highly effective treatment for multiple sclerosis (MS). However, little is known about the maturation/activation stage of the returning B cell population after treatment cessation and the wider effects on other immune cells. In the present study, 15 relapsing-remitting MS patients receiving 1,000 mg of rituximab were included. B, T, and myeloid cells were analyzed before anti-CD20 administration and in different time intervals thereafter over a period of 24 mo. In comparison to the phenotype before anti-CD20 treatment, the reappearing B cell pool revealed a less mature and more activated phenotype: 1) reappearing B cells were significantly enriched in transitional (before: 10.1 ± 1.9%, after: 58.8 ± 5.2%) and mature naive phenotypes (before: 45.5 ± 3.1%, after: 25.1 ± 3.5%); 2) the frequency of memory B cells was reduced (before: 36.7 ± 3.1%, after: 8.9 ± 1.7%); and 3) reappearing B cells showed an enhanced expression of activation markers CD25 (before: 2.1 ± 0.4%, after: 9.3 ± 2.1%) and CD69 (before: 5.9 ± 1.0%, after: 21.4 ± 3.0%), and expressed significantly higher levels of costimulatory CD40 and CD86. T cells showed 1) a persistent increase in naive (CD4⁺: before: 11.8 ± 1.3%, after: 18.4 ± 3.4%; CD8⁺: before: 12.5 ± 1.4%, after: 16.5 ± 2.3%) and 2) a decrease in terminally differentiated subsets (CD4⁺: before: 47.3 ± 3.2%, after: 34.4 ± 3.7%; CD8⁺: before: 53.7 ± 2.1%, after: 49.1 ± 2.7%).

• Publisher: National Academy of Sciences
• Subject: Adult / Antibodies / Antibodies - administration & dosage / Antigens, CD - genetics / Antigens, CD - immunology / Antigens, CD20 - genetics / Antigens, CD20 - immunology / Antigens, Differentiation, T-Lymphocyte - genetics / Antigens, Differentiation, T-Lymphocyte - immunology / B-Lymphocytes - cytology / B-Lymphocytes - immunology / B7-2 Antigen - genetics / B7-2 Antigen - immunology / Biological Sciences / CD20 antigen / CD25 antigen / CD4 antigen / CD40 antigen / CD69 antigen / CD8 antigen / CD86 antigen / Depletion / Female / Humans / Immune system / Immunologic Memory / Immunological memory / Immunology and Inflammation / Lectins, C-Type - genetics / Lectins, C-Type - immunology / Lymphocytes / Lymphocytes B / Lymphocytes T / Male / Memory cells / Middle Aged / Monoclonal antibodies / Multiple sclerosis / Multiple Sclerosis, Relapsing-Remitting - drug therapy / Multiple Sclerosis, Relapsing-Remitting - genetics / Multiple Sclerosis, Relapsing-Remitting - immunology / Myeloid cells / Phenotypes / Rituximab / T-Lymphocytes - cytology / T-Lymphocytes - immunology