scholarly journals Case Report: Resetting the Humoral Immune Response by Targeting Plasma Cells With Daratumumab in Anti-Phospholipid Syndrome

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Daniel E. Pleguezuelo ◽  
Raquel Díaz-Simón ◽  
Oscar Cabrera-Marante ◽  
Antonio Lalueza ◽  
Estela Paz-Artal ◽  
...  

IntroductionMonoclonal antibodies (mAb) targeting plasma cells are malignant gammopathy designed and approved therapies. In recent years, these antibodies have also been increasingly introduced for non-malignant conditions such as autoimmune-mediated diseases. The Anti-Phospholipid Syndrome (APS) is an immune-mediated disorder in which autoantibodies against phospholipid associated proteins could elicit the activation of the coagulation cascade in specific situations. Therefore, the mainstream treatment for APS patients is the use of anticoagulant therapy. However, there are refractory patients who would benefit from targeting the antibodies rather than their effects. Rituximab, a B-cell depleting mAb, and intravenous immunoglobulins (IVIG) have been used in APS patients without showing a clear beneficial effect or a significant drop in anti-phospholipid antibody (aPL) levels.Clinical caseWe present our first APS case treated with daratumumab, an anti-CD38 mAb, in a 21-year-old patient with APS who presented with recurrent venous thromboembolic events despite adequate anticoagulant therapy. She tested positive for lupus anticoagulant, anti-cardiolipin IgG, anti-beta-2-glycoprotein-I IgG and anti-phosphatidylserine/prothrombin IgG and IgM. She was administered one dose weekly of daratumumab for 4 weeks. The treatment showed an adequate safety profile and was well tolerated. The patient was discharged after undergoing a clinically significant improvement. After the therapy, her levels of positive aPL declined significantly and most continued to decrease during the next three months. The patient experienced a new thrombotic episode two years after the therapy associated with poor adherence to antithrombotic therapy.ConclusionsThe treatment with daratumumab showed an adequate safety profile, was well tolerated and led to a significant clinical improvement. Levels of aPL lowered on therapy and the next three months and then rose again during follow-up. Further investigation is needed to better elucidate the role and optimal timing and doses of daratumumab in treatment of refractory APS.

2020 ◽  
Vol 21 (15) ◽  
pp. 5543
Author(s):  
Dominik Jarczak ◽  
Stefan Kluge ◽  
Axel Nierhaus

Sepsis is a life-threatening organ dysfunction, defined by a dysregulated host immune response to infection. During sepsis, the finely tuned system of immunity, inflammation and anti-inflammation is disturbed in a variety of ways. Both pro-inflammatory and anti-inflammatory pathways are upregulated, activation of the coagulation cascade and complement and sepsis-induced lymphopenia occur. Due to the manifold interactions in this network, the use of IgM-enriched intravenous immunoglobulins seems to be a promising therapeutic approach. Unfortunately, there is still a lack of evidence-based data to answer the important questions of appropriate patient populations, optimal timing and dosage of intravenous immunoglobulins. With this review, we aim to provide an overview of the role of immunoglobulins, with emphasis on IgM-enriched formulations, in the therapy of adult patients with sepsis and septic shock.


2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (5) ◽  
pp. 1004
Author(s):  
Sylvain Audia ◽  
Bernard Bonnotte

Immune thrombocytopenia (ITP) is a rare autoimmune disorder caused by peripheral platelet destruction and inappropriate bone marrow production. The management of ITP is based on the utilization of steroids, intravenous immunoglobulins, rituximab, thrombopoietin receptor agonists (TPO-RAs), immunosuppressants and splenectomy. Recent advances in the understanding of its pathogenesis have opened new fields of therapeutic interventions. The phagocytosis of platelets by splenic macrophages could be inhibited by spleen tyrosine kinase (Syk) or Bruton tyrosine kinase (BTK) inhibitors. The clearance of antiplatelet antibodies could be accelerated by blocking the neonatal Fc receptor (FcRn), while new strategies targeting B cells and/or plasma cells could improve the reduction of pathogenic autoantibodies. The inhibition of the classical complement pathway that participates in platelet destruction also represents a new target. Platelet desialylation has emerged as a new mechanism of platelet destruction in ITP, and the inhibition of neuraminidase could dampen this phenomenon. T cells that support the autoimmune B cell response also represent an interesting target. Beyond the inhibition of the autoimmune response, new TPO-RAs that stimulate platelet production have been developed. The upcoming challenges will be the determination of predictive factors of response to treatments at a patient scale to optimize their management.


Blood ◽  
2009 ◽  
Vol 113 (11) ◽  
pp. 2461-2469 ◽  
Author(s):  
Henrik E. Mei ◽  
Taketoshi Yoshida ◽  
Wondossen Sime ◽  
Falk Hiepe ◽  
Kathi Thiele ◽  
...  

AbstractProviding humoral immunity, antibody-secreting plasma cells and their immediate precursors, the plasmablasts, are generated in systemic and mucosal immune reactions. Despite their key role in maintaining immunity and immunopathology, little is known about their homeostasis. Here we show that plasmablasts and plasma cells are always detectable in human blood at low frequency in any unimmunized donor. In this steady state, 80% of plasmablasts and plasma cells express immunoglobulin A (IgA). Expression of a functional mucosal chemokine receptor, C-C motif receptor 10 (CCR10) and the adhesion molecule β7 integrin suggests that these cells come from mucosal immune reactions and can return to mucosal tissue. These blood-borne, CCR10+ plasmablasts also are attracted by CXCL12. Approximately 40% of plasma cells in human bone marrow are IgA+, nonmigratory, and express β7 integrin and CCR10, suggesting a substantial contribution of mucosal plasma cells to bone marrow resident, long-lived plasma cells. Six to 8 days after parenteral tetanus/diphtheria vaccination, intracellular IgG+ cells appear in blood, both CD62L+, β7 integrin−, dividing, vaccine-specific, migratory plasmablasts and nondividing, nonmigratory, CD62L− plasma cells of different specificities. Systemic vaccination does not impact on peripheral IgA+ plasmablast numbers, indicating that mucosal and systemic humoral immune responses are regulated independent of each other.


2019 ◽  
Vol 25 ◽  
pp. 107602961983505 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kazuma Yamakawa ◽  
Yutaka Umemura ◽  
Shuhei Murao ◽  
Mineji Hayakawa ◽  
Satoshi Fujimi

Optimizing diagnostic criteria to detect specific patients likely to benefit from anticoagulants is warranted. A cutoff of 5 points for the International Society on Thrombosis and Haemostasis overt disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC) scoring system was determined in the original article, but its validity was not evaluated. This study aimed to explore the optimal cutoff points of DIC scoring systems and evaluate the effectiveness of early intervention with anticoagulants. We used a nationwide retrospective registry of consecutive adult patients with sepsis in Japan to develop simulated survival data, assuming anticoagulants were conducted strictly according to each cutoff point. Estimated treatment effects of anticoagulants for in-hospital mortality and risk of bleeding were calculated by logistic regression analysis with inverse probability of treatment weighting using propensity scoring. Of 2663 patients with sepsis, 1247 patients received anticoagulants and 1416 none. The simulation model showed no increase in estimated mortality between 0 and 3 cutoff points, whereas at ≥4 cutoff points, mortality increased linearly. The estimated bleeding tended to decrease in accordance with the increase in cutoff points. The optimal cutoff for determining anticoagulant therapy may be 3 points to minimize nonsurvival with acceptable bleeding complications. The findings of the present study suggested a beneficial association of early intervention with anticoagulant therapy and mortality in the patients with sepsis-induced DIC. Present cutoff points of DIC scoring systems may be suboptimal for determining the start of anticoagulant therapy and delay its initiation.


Blood ◽  
2012 ◽  
Vol 120 (21) ◽  
pp. 1160-1160 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nadia Rosencher ◽  
Simon Frostick ◽  
Martin Feuring ◽  
Eva Kleine ◽  
Martina Brueckmann ◽  
...  

Abstract Abstract 1160 Background: Dabigatran etexilate (DE) 220 mg once daily (qd) was as effective as enoxaparin 40 mg qd in phase III trials for the prevention of venous thromboembolism (VTE) in orthopaedic surgery patients, with a favourable safety profile. Recommendations from the European Medicines Agency state that DE 110 mg should be administered 1–4 hours after surgery and 220 mg thereafter, in patients ≤ 75 years and without moderate renal impairment or concomitant verapamil, amiodarone or quinidine. The aim of this prospective, international, observational, single-arm study was to evaluate the safety and efficacy of DE in a real-world setting, with a particular focus on pre-specified subgroups that may represent an increased risk of bleeding and/or VTE. We report here a prespecified analysis of the results for additional subgroups with different body mass index (BMI), creatinine clearance (CrCL) and age. Methods: Patients were included if aged ≥ 18 years and undergoing elective total hip or knee replacement (THR, TKR). Patients also had to be eligible for DE 220 mg qd according to the European label. The primary safety endpoint was the incidence of major bleeding events (MBEs) as defined in the pivotal clinical trials of DE; the primary efficacy endpoint was documented symptomatic VTE (sVTE) (the composite of symptomatic proximal and distal deep vein thrombosis and symptomatic non-fatal pulmonary embolism) and all-cause mortality. The observation period was from the first dose to 24 hours after the last dose of DE. We examined the incidence of these endpoints stratified by baseline BMI, CrCL and age, all characteristics with potential influence on bleeding and/or efficacy. Results: 5292 patients were included in the study. Median BMI was 28.4 kg/m2. Median CrCL was 95.4 mL/min, with 70.4% of patients having CrCL ≥ 80 mL/min and 26.0% with CrCL 50 to < 80 mL/min. Median age was 64 years. A small proportion of patients were treated who had moderate renal impairment (1.1%) or were > 75 years old (0.8%); no differences in primary efficacy or safety results were seen in these underpowered groups. The incidence of MBEs for all patients was 0.72% (95% CI: 0.51, 0.98%).Occurrence of MBEs was comparable for subgroups of patients with BMI ≤ 35 kg/m2 and numerically higher for severely obese patients with BMI > 35 kg/m2 (1.47%). The rate of MBE was not affected by age < 65 or ≥ 65 years. There were no differences for patients with CrCL ≥ 80 or those with CrCL 50 to < 80 mL/min. Incidence of sVTE and all-cause mortality in patients treated in the total population was 1.04% (95% CI: 0.78, 1.35%). The rates were comparable in patients stratified according to their BMI, age and CrCL. Overall, the type of surgery, THR or TKR, did not impact on the incidence of MBEs (0.69% [95% CI 0.42%, 1.08%] and 0.74% [95% CI 0.45%, 1.16%], respectively), whereas the composite of sVTE and death was more common in the TKR group (1.56% [95% CI 1.12%, 2.12%]) than the THR group (0.55% [95% CI 0.31%, 0.90%]), as expected. The stratified analysis by surgery type did not show differences in incidence rates of the primary efficacy or safety endpoints across BMI, age or CrCL sugroups. Conclusion: DE 220 mg qd administered to patients undergoing TKR or THR according to the European label showed a favourable safety profile in a real-world clinical setting irrespective of their BMI, renal function and age. Disclosures: Rosencher: BMS (Hemostasis, thrombosis and transfusion): Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Boehringer Ingelheim (Hemostasis, thrombosis and transfusion): Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Pfizer (Hemostasis, thrombosis and transfusion): Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Sanofi (Hemostasis, thrombosis and transfusion): Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; GSK (Hemostasis, thrombosis and transfusion): Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Bayer (Hemostasis, thrombosis and transfusion): Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees. Frostick:DePuy: Research Funding; Pfizer: Speakers Bureau; Bristol-Myers Squibb: Speakers Bureau; Biomet: Speakers Bureau; Boehringer Ingelheim: Speakers Bureau; DePuy: Consultancy; Boehringer Ingelheim: Consultancy; Biomet: Consultancy; Johnson & Johnson: Research Funding. Feuring:Boehringer Ingelheim (Anticoagulant Therapy): Employment. Kleine:Boehringer Ingelheim (Anticoagulant Therapy): Employment. Brueckmann:Boehringer Ingelheim Pharma GmbH & cO.kg: Employment. Clemens:Boehringer Ingelheim (Anticoagulant Therapy): Employment. Samama:Cordis (product development and education): Honoraria; LFB (anticoagulant therapy): Honoraria; Boehringer Ingelheim (anticoagulant therapy): Honoraria; Bayer (anticoagulant therapy): Honoraria; Biotest (anticoagulant therapy): Honoraria; CSL Behring (anticoagulant therapy): Honoraria; Sanofi-Aventis (anticoagulant therapy): Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; GSK (anticoagulant therapy): Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Pfizer (anticoagulant therapy): Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; BMS (anticoagulant therapy): Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Lilly (anticoagulant therapy): Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Baxter (anticoagulant therapy): Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Bayer (anticoagulant therapy): Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Pfizer: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Curacyte (anticoagulant therapy): Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Fresenius: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; LFB (anticoagulant therapy): Primary Investigator, Primary Investigator Other; GSK (anticoagulant therapy): Primary Investigator Other; Sanofi (anticoagulant therapy): Primary Investigator, Primary Investigator Other.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jason Hong ◽  
Fasih Ahsan ◽  
Encarnacion Montecino-Rodriguez ◽  
Peter Pioli ◽  
Min-sub Lee ◽  
...  

Antibody secreting cell (ASC) function and longevity determines the strength and durability of a humoral immune response. Previously, we identified the inactivation of the CREB-regulated transcriptional coactivator-2 (CRTC2) in an in vitro B cell differentiation assay that produced functional ASCs. However, the requirement for CRTC2 inactivation in ASC physiology in vivo remains unknown. Using transgenic (TG) mice that express a constitutively active form of CRTC2 (Crtc2-AA) as an experimental tool, we demonstrate that Crtc2 repression in plasma cells (PCs) is an intrinsic requirement for ASC metabolic fitness. Sustained CRTC2 activity shortens the survival of splenic and bone marrow PCs, resulting in reduced numbers of long-lived PCs and antibody deficits against T cell dependent and independent antigens, and an acute viral infection. TG PCs resemble short-lived PCs with reductions in glycolysis, oxidative metabolism, spare respiratory capacity, and antibody secretion. Mechanistically, Crtc2 repression is necessary for the fidelity of PC gene expression and mRNA alternative-splicing programs. Combined, Crtc2 repression in PCs must occur to support PC metabolism and extend ASC survival during a humoral immune response.


Vaccines ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (12) ◽  
pp. 1503
Author(s):  
Girolamo Giannotta ◽  
Nicola Giannotta

mRNA COVID-19 vaccines have hegemonized the world market, and their administration to the population promises to stop the pandemic. However, the waning of the humoral immune response, which does not seem to last so many months after the completion of the vaccination program, has led us to study the molecular immunological mechanisms of waning immunity in the case of mRNA COVID-19 vaccines. We consulted the published scientific literature and from the few articles we found, we were convinced that there is an immunological memory problem after vaccination. Although mRNA vaccines have been demonstrated to induce antigen-specific memory B cells (MBCs) in the human population, there is no evidence that these vaccines induce the production of long-lived plasma cells (LLPCs), in a SARS-CoV-2 virus naïve population. This obstacle, in our point of view, is caused by the presence, in almost all subjects, of a cellular T and B cross-reactive memory produced during past exposures to the common cold coronaviruses. Due to this interference, it is difficult for a vaccination with the Spike protein alone, without adjuvants capable of prolonging the late phase of the generation of the immunological memory, to be able to determine the production of protective LLPCs. This would explain the possibility of previously and completely vaccinated subjects to become infected, already 4–6 months after the completion of the vaccination cycle.


eLife ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 10 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marie Ghraichy ◽  
Valentin von Niederhäusern ◽  
Aleksandr Kovaltsuk ◽  
Jacob D Galson ◽  
Charlotte M Deane ◽  
...  

Several human B-cell subpopulations are recognized in the peripheral blood, which play distinct roles in the humoral immune response. These cells undergo developmental and maturational changes involving VDJ recombination, somatic hypermutation and class switch recombination, altogether shaping their immunoglobulin heavy chain (IgH) repertoire. Here, we sequenced the IgH repertoire of naïve, marginal zone, switched and plasma cells from 10 healthy adults along with matched unsorted and in silico separated CD19+ bulk B cells. Using advanced bioinformatic analysis and machine learning, we show that sorted B cell subpopulations are characterised by distinct repertoire characteristics on both the individual sequence and the repertoire level. Sorted subpopulations shared similar repertoire characteristics with their corresponding in silico separated subsets. Furthermore, certain IgH repertoire characteristics correlated with the position of the constant region on the IgH locus. Overall, this study provides unprecedented insight over mechanisms of B cell repertoire control in peripherally circulating B cell subpopulations.


2022 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jonas Søndergaard ◽  
Janyerkye Tulyeu ◽  
Ryuya Edahiro ◽  
Yuya Shira ◽  
Yuta Yamaguchi ◽  
...  

Using single-cell proteomics by mass cytometry, we investigate changes to a broad selection of over 10,000,000 immune cells in a cohort of moderate, severe, and critical Japanese COVID-19 patients and healthy controls with a particular focus on regulatory T-cells (Tregs). We find significant disruption within all compartments of the immune system and the emergence of atypical CTLA-4high CD4 T-cells and proliferating HLA-DRlowCD38high Tregs associated with critical patients. We also observed disrupted regulation of humoral immunity in COVID-19, with a loss of circulating T follicular regulatory T cells (Tfr) and altered T follicular helper (Tfh)/Tfr and plasma cell/Tfr ratios, all of which are significantly lower in male patients. Shifting ratios of CXCR4 and CXCR5 expression in B-cells provides further evidence of an autoimmune phenotype and dysregulated humoral immunity. These results suggest that Tregs are central to the changing cellular networks of a wide range of cells in COVID-19 and that sex specific differences to the balance of Tfr, Tfh and plasma cells may have important implications for the specificity of the humoral immune response to SARS-CoV-2.


2019 ◽  
Vol 116 (15) ◽  
pp. 7425-7430 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christian Männe ◽  
Akiko Takaya ◽  
Yuzuru Yamasaki ◽  
Mathias Mursell ◽  
Shintaro Hojyo ◽  
...  

Serum IgG, which is mainly generated from IgG-secreting plasma cells in the bone marrow (BM), protects our body against various pathogens. We show here that the protein SiiE of Salmonella is both required and sufficient to prevent an efficient humoral immune memory against the pathogen by selectively reducing the number of IgG-secreting plasma cells in the BM. Attenuated SiiE-deficient Salmonella induces high and lasting titers of specific and protective Salmonella-specific IgG and qualifies as an efficient vaccine against Salmonella. A SiiE-derived peptide with homology to laminin β1 is sufficient to ablate IgG-secreting plasma cells from the BM, identifying laminin β1 as a component of niches for IgG-secreting plasma cells in the BM, and furthermore, qualifies it as a unique therapeutic option to selectively ablate IgG-secreting plasma cells in autoimmune diseases and multiple myeloma.


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