B cell depletion benefits ME/CFS patients

Patients with myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS) showed clinical improvement after extended treatment with the anti-B-cell monoclonal antibody rituximab. This result suggests that in a subset of patients, ME/CFS might be an autoimmune disease. Rituximab is a monoclonal antibody against a protein on the surface of B cells known as CD20. When the antibody is given to patients, it leads to destruction of B cells, which are the producers of antibodies, proteins that are made by the immune system to counter infections. The drug has been approved by the US Food and Drug administration to treat diseases of B cells such as lymphomas, leukemias, and autoimmune conditions. ME/CFS is a disease of unknown etiology and mechanism that includes symptoms of severe fatigue, post-exertional malaise, pain, cognitive and sleep problems that affects 0.1-0.2% of the population. A previous randomized, phase II trial of rituximab treatment showed clinical benefit in 20 of 30 patients. The improvements were evident 2-8 months after treatment, leading the study authors to suggest that remission requires elimination of long-lived antibodies after depletion of B cells. The current study was done to determine the effects of sustained treatment with rituximab. Included patients (29) were 18-66 years of age and diagnosed with ME/CFS according to Fukuda 1994 criteria. All were given rutiximab infusions two weeks apart, then at 3, 6, 10, and 15 months, and followed up for 36 ...
Source: virology blog - Category: Virology Authors: Tags: Basic virology Information autoimmune disease B cell chronic fatigue syndrome mecfs monoclonal antibody myalgic encephalomyelitis rituximab viral virus Source Type: blogs