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No increase of serum autoantibodies during therapy with recombinant human interferon‐β 1a in relapsing‐remitting multiple sclerosis
Author(s) -
Colosimo Carlo,
Pozzilli Carlo,
Frontoni Marco,
Farina Deborah,
Koudriavtseva Tatiana,
Gasperini Claudio,
Salvetti Marco,
Valesini Guido
Publication year - 1997
Publication title -
acta neurologica scandinavica
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.967
H-Index - 95
eISSN - 1600-0404
pISSN - 0001-6314
DOI - 10.1111/j.1600-0404.1997.tb00300.x
Subject(s) - autoantibody , medicine , multiple sclerosis , immunology , recombinant dna , antibody , gastroenterology , biology , biochemistry , gene
Objectives ‐ The present investigation was aimed at establishing whether interferon (IFN)‐β would induce the synthesis of autoantibodies in patients affected by multiple sclerosis (MS). Materials and methods ‐ The titres of different autoantibodies were measured in a group of 68 relapsing‐remitting MS patients before and during treatment with human recombinant IFN‐β la (3 MIU or 9 MIU subcutaneously 3a week). ANA, anti‐thyroid, anticardiolipin serum autoantibodies were assayed in all cases: when patients were found positive to ANA>1: 40, they were also tested for anti‐DNA and anti‐ENA antibodies. Results ‐ No increase was found in autoantibodies synthesis during 6 months of r‐hIFNβ la therapy, either at low or high dosages. The percentage of patients positive to different types of autoantibodies varied between 0 and 29%, which are values similar to those already reported in untreated MS patients. Conclusion ‐ Our data indicate that the short‐term use of IFN‐β 1a in MS is safe in terms of the induction of humoral autoimmune responses: however, further follow‐up is needed to confirm these findings during long‐term treatments.