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Publication Details
AFRICAN RESEARCH NEXUS
SHINING A SPOTLIGHT ON AFRICAN RESEARCH
immunology and microbiology
Treatment of Graves' disease with rituximab specifically reduces the production of thyroid stimulating autoantibodies
Clinical Immunology, Volume 130, No. 3, Year 2009
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Description
Treatment of Graves' disease (GD) with the B-lymphocyte depleting agent rituximab in addition to standard methimazole-therapy prolongs remission. Paradoxically, it does not mediate a reduction in thyrotropin receptor antibody (TRAb) levels over that of methimazole monotherapy. Using a bioassay involving Chinese hamster ovary cells transfected with the human thyrotropin receptor, we found that the stimulatory capacity of TRAbs was reduced markedly, by 66 ± 22%, upon treatment with rituximab and methimazole for 21 days (p < 0.0001), compared to an increase by 33% on average (NS) in patients receiving methimazole alone (p = 0.04 between groups). The overall levels of TRAbs decreased by around 15% in both groups. Within one year of follow-up, rituximab therapy mediated specific decreases in thyroid-peroxidase antibody- and IgM levels, whereas IgG levels were unaffected. The data indicate that rituximab therapy has differential effects on pathogenic and non-pathogenic autoantibodies, even when directed against the same antigen. The possible mechanisms underlying this hitherto unappreciated phenomenon are discussed. © 2008 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
Authors & Co-Authors
El Fassi, Daniel
Unknown Affiliation
Banga, Jasvinder Paul
Unknown Affiliation
Gilbert, Jackie A.
Unknown Affiliation
Padoa, Carolyn J.
Unknown Affiliation
Hegedüs, László M.
Unknown Affiliation
Nielsen, Claus Henrik
Unknown Affiliation
Statistics
Citations: 84
Authors: 6
Affiliations: 5
Identifiers
Doi:
10.1016/j.clim.2008.09.007
ISSN:
15216616
e-ISSN:
15217035
Study Design
Cohort Study