Pre-Existing Humoral Immunological Memory Is Retained in Patients with Multiple Sclerosis Receiving Cladribine Therapy
Tobias Moser,
Ciara O’Sullivan,
Christian Puttinger,
Julia Feige,
Georg Pilz,
Elisabeth Haschke-Becher,
Janne Cadamuro,
Hannes Oberkofler,
Wolfgang Hitzl,
Andrea Harrer,
Jörg Kraus,
Eugen Trinka,
Peter Wipfler
Affiliations
Tobias Moser
Department of Neurology, Christian Doppler University Hospital, Paracelsus Medical University and Center for Cognitive Neuroscience, 5020 Salzburg, Austria
Ciara O’Sullivan
Department of Neurology, Christian Doppler University Hospital, Paracelsus Medical University and Center for Cognitive Neuroscience, 5020 Salzburg, Austria
Christian Puttinger
Department of Neurology, Christian Doppler University Hospital, Paracelsus Medical University and Center for Cognitive Neuroscience, 5020 Salzburg, Austria
Julia Feige
Department of Neurology, Christian Doppler University Hospital, Paracelsus Medical University and Center for Cognitive Neuroscience, 5020 Salzburg, Austria
Georg Pilz
Department of Neurology, Christian Doppler University Hospital, Paracelsus Medical University and Center for Cognitive Neuroscience, 5020 Salzburg, Austria
Elisabeth Haschke-Becher
Department of Laboratory Medicine, Paracelsus Medical University, 5020 Salzburg, Austria
Janne Cadamuro
Department of Laboratory Medicine, Paracelsus Medical University, 5020 Salzburg, Austria
Hannes Oberkofler
Department of Laboratory Medicine, Paracelsus Medical University, 5020 Salzburg, Austria
Wolfgang Hitzl
Research Management (RM): Team Biostatistics and Publikation of Clincial Studies, Paracelsus Medical University Salzburg, 5020 Salzburg, Austria
Andrea Harrer
Department of Neurology, Christian Doppler University Hospital, Paracelsus Medical University and Center for Cognitive Neuroscience, 5020 Salzburg, Austria
Jörg Kraus
Department of Laboratory Medicine, Paracelsus Medical University, 5020 Salzburg, Austria
Eugen Trinka
Department of Neurology, Christian Doppler University Hospital, Paracelsus Medical University and Center for Cognitive Neuroscience, 5020 Salzburg, Austria
Peter Wipfler
Department of Neurology, Christian Doppler University Hospital, Paracelsus Medical University and Center for Cognitive Neuroscience, 5020 Salzburg, Austria
Cladribine (CLAD) is a lymphodepleting agent approved for active relapsing multiple sclerosis (MS). The impact of CLAD on the adaptive humoral immune system has not sufficiently been studied. This study aimed to assess the influence of CLAD treatment on specific antibody titers to common pathogens. We included 18 MS patients treated with CLAD. Serum IgG antibody levels to measles, mumps, rubella, hepatitis B and varicella zoster virus (VZV), as well as diphtheria and tetanus toxins, were measured prior to the initiation of treatment and at 12 and 24 months after first CLAD administration. Moreover, specimens were longitudinally analyzed regarding absolute blood concentrations of IgG and main lymphocyte subsets. No reduction in antibody levels against measles, mumps, rubella, VZV, hepatitis B, diphtheria toxin and tetanus toxin associated with CLAD treatment was observed. Loss of seroprotection occurred in p p < 0.000001). This study suggests that CLAD does not interfere with the pre-existing humoral immunologic memory in terms of pathogen-specific antibody titers.
