Linked Life Data

19189075

Source:http://linkedlifedata.com/resource/pubmed/id/19189075

Statements in which the resource exists as a subject.
PredicateObject
rdf:type
lifeskim:mentions
pubmed:issue
2
pubmed:dateCreated
2009-2-12
pubmed:abstractText
Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic inflammatory demyelinating autoimmune disease of the CNS and a leading cause of lasting neurological disability in younger adults. In the last decade our knowledge of its immunopathogenesis expanded vastly. It is now widely appreciated that B cells are key players in the autoreactive immune network. They exert far more functions than merely being the precursors of antibody-producing plasma cells. B cells act as efficient antigen-presenting cells and may stimulate an autoreactive immune response through secretion of proinflammatory cytokines. It is thus only logical to test therapeutic strategies targeting B cells in MS. Rituximab is a depleting chimeric monoclonal antibody directed against CD20 and expressed on developing, naïve, and memory B cells but not stem or plasma cells. Several smaller studies have been conducted that led to a placebo controlled, double blind phase II study on efficacy which was reported recently. The results are very promising, meeting not only the primary endpoint of reduction of the surrogate MRI marker of contrast-enhancing lesions but also showing a reduction in clinical relapse rate of patients treated with rituximab. This review discusses the role of autoreactive B cells in the context of MS, analyzes the B-cell-depleting treatment studies reported, and provides information on planned and future B-cell-directed therapeutic strategies in MS.
pubmed:language
ger
pubmed:journal
pubmed:citationSubset
IM
pubmed:chemical
pubmed:status
MEDLINE
pubmed:month
Feb
pubmed:issn
1433-0407
pubmed:author
pubmed:issnType
Electronic
pubmed:volume
80
pubmed:owner
NLM
pubmed:authorsComplete
Y
pubmed:pagination
190-8
pubmed:meshHeading
pubmed:year
2009
pubmed:articleTitle
[Targeting B cells in multiple sclerosis. Current concepts and strategies].
pubmed:affiliation
Neurologische Klinik, Heinrich-Heine-Universität, Moorenstrasse 5, 40225, Düsseldorf, Deutschland.
pubmed:publicationType
Journal Article, English Abstract, Review