IgG4 anti-infliximab in treated patients: Clinical impact and temporal evolution

BACKGROUND

Infliximab (IFX) carries potential risk of immunogenicity with the production of anti-drug antibodies (ADA). ADA may belong to different isotypes and are usually measured by ELISA bridging assay. This test is not designed to detect IgG4 antibodies. The aim was to measure IgG4 anti-IFX antibodies in a cohort of IFX-treated patients and to evaluate their relationship with ADA and their clinical impact.

METHODS

Anti-drug antibodies were detected using a bridging ELISA in the serum of 222 treated patients with different clinical outcomes to IFX. The same samples were analyzed for IgG4 anti-IFX antibodies using an experimental ImmunoCAP assay with reduced serum IgG4 background levels. A longitudinal evaluation was performed in a subgroup of 38 patients to define the temporal evolution of IgG4 anti-IFX.

RESULTS

IgG4 anti-IFX was found in 26.6% of patients. Eighty of 222 patients were ADA+ (36%) and the majority (57/80, 71.3%) had IgG4 anti-IFX. Two IgG4-positive but ADA-negative patients were identified. IgG4 anti-IFX levels correlated with the serum levels of ADA. IgG4 anti-IFX was more common in both reactive and nonresponder patients than in tolerant/responder patients. Patients who had experienced IgE-mediated reactions displayed significantly higher IgG4 anti-IFX than IgE-negative reactive patients. The majority of patients tested positive for IgG4 anti-IFX after the first seven infusions.

CONCLUSIONS

IgG4 anti-IFX is common in treated patients and a large part of ADA producing patients produce IgG4 antibodies. The IgG4 anti-IFX response does not prevent hypersensitivity reactions to IFX and correlates with the IgE anti-IFX response.

Circulating T cells to infliximab are detectable mainly in treated patients developing anti-drug antibodies and hypersensitivity reactions

Antibodies recognizing infliximab (IFX) may develop in a proportion of treated patients, leading to loss of response or hypersensitivity reactions (HRs). T cell response to IFX has been poorly investigated. This paper was addressed to detect IFX‐specific T cells in treated patients with inflammatory diseases developing, or not, anti‐drug antibodies (ADA) and to correlate the presence of specific T cells with the clinical outcomes of the treatment. A co‐culture system of IFX‐loaded dendritic cells and purified autologous CD4⁺ T cells was used to detect memory T cells in 32 ADA⁺ and 39 ADA^– IFX‐treated patients and control groups. The cytokine profile of IFX‐specific T cells was also studied in culture supernatants. IFX‐specific cell proliferation was detected mainly in cells from ADA⁺ patients, irrespective of their different diseases. HR patients displayed higher T cell proliferation than non‐responder and tolerant patients. A mixed [interferon (IFN)‐γ, interleukin (IL)‐13, IL‐10] cytokine profile was shown in cells from ADA⁺ patients, while IL‐10 was the most frequently detected cytokine in the supernatants of cultures from ADA‐ patients. Immunoglobulin (Ig)E⁺ADA⁺ patients with previous HRs exhibited a more pronounced type 2 profile than IgE^–ADA⁺ patients. This work provides evidence that IFX‐specific circulating T cells are detectable mainly in ADA⁺ patients with HRs, regardless of their disease. The IFX‐induced cytokine pattern partially correlates with the ADA isotype.

Allergological in vitro and in vivo evaluation of patients with hypersensitivity reactions to infliximab

BACKGROUND

The administration of biological agents is potentially affected by IgE-mediated infusion reactions.

OBJECTIVE

The aim of the study was to evaluate the utility of skin testing in patients who have experienced infliximab (IFX)-related reactions.

METHODS

Thirty patients with previous immediate hypersensitivity reaction to IFX, 20 disease-matched non exposed subjects, 15 IFX-treated disease-matched tolerant patients and 15 IFX non-responder patients were enrolled. Non-isotype-specific and IgE anti-drug antibodies (ADAs) were measured by a double-capture ELISA kit and ImmunoCAP assay, respectively. Prick and intra-dermal tests were carried out with the commercial IFX preparation serially diluted.

RESULTS

Skin testing, performed in 23 of 30 reactive patients, resulted positive in 7 of them (30.4%), whereas no positivity was found in other groups of patients. The majority of reactive patients displayed non-isotype-specific ADAs (23/30, 76.6%) and the presence of anti-IFX IgE antibodies was detected in 6 of them (26%). All 6 IgE-positive reactive patients showed skin testing positivity. One reactive ADAs-positive patient who resulted skin test positive, with no detectable serum IFX-specific IgE ADAs, was also found. Skin testing positivity was associated with severe and early reactions (within the 3rd dose). No unexpected adverse reactions to skin testing were recorded.

CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE

This study shows that about 30% of reactive patients display skin testing positivity. They usually develop severe reactions, mainly during the first administrations of IFX. The specificity and the safety of skin testing procedure for this biological agent are also confirmed.

[The jaundiced newborn: which early monitoring for a safe discharge?]

Neonatal jaundice is one of the most common causes of prolonged hospital stay or readmission of a near-term or term baby. Reason of concern at early discharge of a jaundiced newborn is that of bilirubin neurotoxicity, even if a serum bilirubin concentration surely toxic for the brain is still unknown. Kernicterus and severe neonatal hyperbilirubinemia are still problems in the third millennium and the American Academy of Pediatrics claimed the pediatric community to increase vigilance in order to reduce the occurrence of these dramatic events. The only existing kernicterus registry is the pilot USA kernicterus registry whose data on 125 kernicteric term and near term babies from 1992 to 2004 have been recently published. Nobody of the kenicteric babies into the USA register had a serum bilirubin levels below 20 mg/dL. All the babies who suffered from kernicteric sequelae were discharged as healthy from hospital and then, 86% of them, readmitted in the first ten days of life. In the majority of babies (69%) a cause of the severe hyperbilirubinemia was not found. Current knowledge on mechanism of neurological damage induced by bilirubin, unfortunately, does not allow to have a universal evidenced based guideline on how to manage neonatal jaundice. Thus, the existing national guidelines contain inevitable differences in the recommended procedure. Waiting for the future italian guidelines the paper illustrates a proposal of management of neonatal jaundice in term or near term newborns based on available scientific evidence and national guidelines published in english language.

Poly(I:C) promotes the production of IL-17A by murine CD1d-driven invariant NKT cells in airway inflammation

BACKGROUND

IL-17A is associated with different asthma phenotypes as virus-associated or steroid-resistant asthma. Invariant natural killer T (iNKT) cells play an important role in the pathogenesis of asthma. The aim of the study was to evaluate the activity of polyinosinic-polycytidylic acid [poly(I:C)] on IL-17A production by CD1d-activated iNKT cells.

METHODS

We analysed the in vitro effect of poly(I:C) on the release of IL-17A by spleen and lung CD1d-activated iNKT cells with α-galactosylceramide (α-GalCer). Its activity was also investigated in an α-GalCer-induced murine models, including lung inflammation. The inhibition of IL-17A by Toll-like receptor (TLR) 7 agonists in the same in vitro and in vivo models has been analysed.

RESULTS

Poly(I:C) upregulated the in vitro IL-17A production by CD1d-activated NK1.1- CD4- iNKT subset, without modifying type 1 and type 2 cytokines. The two stimuli selectively upregulated IL-17A serum levels in vivo. Their intratracheal administration resulted in increased airway hyper-reactivity (AHR), neutrophilia in bronchoalveolar lavage and airway inflammation, which were inhibited by anti-IL-17A antibody. Poly(I:C) effects were attributable to IL1β and IL-23 release from dendritic cells, as showed by inhibition with neutralizing antibodies. TLR7 agonists inhibited the IL-17A production by poly(I:C) plus α-GalCer in the same models. Such effect was associated with the increased production by DC of IL-17A-inhibiting cytokines and the dampening of IL-1β and IL-23.

CONCLUSIONS

Synthetic dsRNA selectively expand a CD1d-driven IL-17A-producing iNKT cell subset, thus explaining the worsening of airway inflammation by some viral infections. TLR3- and TLR7-triggering viral sequences can exert variable and opposite effects on adaptive immune response.

Anti-infliximab IgE and non-IgE antibodies and induction of infusion-related severe anaphylactic reactions

BACKGROUND

Infliximab is a chimeric monoclonal antibody against TNF-alpha useful in the treatment of many chronic inflammatory diseases. Severe anaphylaxis has been reported during therapy, although the exact mechanism has not been fully defined. The reactions have been related to the infliximab immunogenicity and development of specific antibodies.

AIMS OF THE STUDY

Evaluation of the development of IgE and non-IgE antibodies to infliximab and their relationship with infusion reaction.

METHODS

Seventy-one patients (11 reactives, 11 therapeutically nonresponders, and 49 unreactive therapeutically responders) and 20 non-infliximab-exposed control subjects (ten rheumatoid arthritis, five spondyloarthropathies, five vasculitis) were evaluated for the presence of IgE (ImmunoCAP assay), IgM, and non-isotype-specific (ELISA assays) anti-infliximab antibodies. Sera were obtained at baseline and during the course of treatment, before each infliximab infusion.

RESULTS

Eleven out of 71 patients had a hypersensitivity reaction to infliximab. Non-isotype-specific anti-infliximab antibodies were detected in eight reactive and two nonresponder patients. Three patients with severe reactions displayed anti-infliximab IgE antibodies and positive skin testing. Detectable levels of anti-infliximab IgM antibodies were shown in three additional IgE- and skin testing-negative patients. IgE and IgM antibodies to infliximab were not detectable in the two nonresponder patients. Antibodies developed before the 2nd and the 3rd infusion, and their appearance was strictly related to the timing of the reaction.

CONCLUSIONS

This report indicates that in some patients with infliximab-related severe reactions, IgE or IgM antibodies against infliximab were detectable. The majority of reactions could be predicted by the appearance of anti-infliximab antibodies.

[Evaluation of cerebral oxygenation in newborns with prematurity apnea: new frequency domain NIR oximeter]

Near infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) is a non invasive, portable, safe technique for monitoring cerebral oxygenation and haemodynamics. A new frequency-domain tissue oximeter based on a multi-distance measurement protocol is presented. The effects of apneic episodes on cerebral and peripheral arterial oxygen saturation (SatO2) in preterm newborns, as monitored by NIRS and by pulse oximetry, are reported. The study population consist of 5 preterms (26 to 30 weeks of gestational age), in the second week of postnatal age, affected by apnea of prematurity. NIRS and pulse oximetric measurements were made contemporarily for a 40-minutes period for each infant. All monitorized apneic events were associated with bradicardia, and resolved spontaneously or after tactile stimulation. As results: a) there was always cerebral deoxygenation in association with apneic events, b) the mean SatO2 as measured by NIRS was slightly lower than the pulse oximeter readings, c) cerebral SatO2 decreased faster and the absolute value of the cerebral SaO2 decrease was greater than that measured peripherally (mean value of 27 versus 13%), d) increases of cerebral deoxyhemoglobin and total hemoglobin and a decrease of oxyhemoglobin were also observed. These preliminary results show that peripheral oxygen saturation measurements as measured by pulse oximetry could not always reflect brain oxygenation.

Bilirubin photoisomerization products in serum and urine from a Crigler-Najjar type I patient treated by phototherapy

The relative compositions of the photoisomers of bilirubin-1X alpha (4Z, 15Z-bilirubin) in serum and urine of a patient with Crigler-Najjar type I syndrome treated by phototherapy are reported. High-performance liquid chromatography analysis reveals the presence of high serum levels of the configurational bilirubin photoisomer (4Z,15E-bilirubin) before the beginning of phototherapy (between 12 and 16% of the total bilirubin). The configurational photoisomer value increases during phototherapy with blue fluorescent lamps up to a photoequilibrium of about 25%, similar to that obtained in a bilirubin solution in vitro irradiated by the same lamps. This evidence suggests an inefficient serum excretion of the 4Z,15E-bilirubin. Indeed, its average half-life in serum of the Crigler-Najjar patient is found to be about 8 h. No detectable traces of the bilirubin structural isomer, lumirubin, are found in the serum. On the other hand, lumirubin represents the dominant bilirubin isomer excreted in the urine, as both 15Z and 15E configurations. Smaller amounts of 4Z,15E-bilirubin, 4E,15Z-bilirubin and native 4Z,15Z-bilirubin are observed in urine. The presence in urine of 4Z,15Z-bilirubin is probably due to a fast reversion of the configurational photoisomers to their native form. The half-life of the configurational photoisomers in urine kept at 38 degrees C is found to be of the order of a few minutes. Our study indicates that in Crigler-Najjar type I patients, mechanisms exist to excrete all bilirubin photoisomers. The lumirubin pathway seems to contribute markedly to bilirubin excretion in the urine, as occurs in jaundiced babies under phototherapy. However, the contribution of configurational isomers cannot be neglected.

Fibreoptic phototherapy in the management of jaundice in low birthweight neonates

A fibreoptic phototherapy device has been compared with conventional white and special blue fluorescent phototherapy lamps to evaluate its efficacy in lowering serum bilirubin levels in low-birthweight neonates. Fibreoptic phototherapy was found to be as effective as white light and less effective than blue light, as assessed by (i) the bilirubin concentration after 24 h of phototherapy and at the end of phototherapy, (ii) the duration of phototherapy, (iii) the percentage daily decline rate and (iv) the overall percentage decline rate (p < 0.05). There were no failures of phototherapy and the need for re-exposure was low (4.7% of the total sample), with no difference between groups. The fibreoptic approach represents a promising way to aggregate synergically the most recent optical technologies and develop a modern, efficient and caring phototherapy system for low-birthweight infants.

In-vivo studies on ovarian insulin-like growth factor I concentrations in human preovulatory follicles and human ovarian circulation

In some recent hypotheses, the ovary has been indicated as a source of insulin-like growth factor (IGF)-I, with synthesis regulated from local steroidal and non-steroidal substances. We measured IGF-I concentrations in both serum and follicular fluid of women undergoing in-vitro fertilization (IVF) and embryo transfer, in both induced and spontaneous cycles. It was found that serum and follicular IGF-I concentrations were correlated with follicular morphology, oocyte maturity, steroid concentrations and clinical characteristics of IVF cycles. In addition, we measured IGF-I concentrations in both peripheral and ovarian circulation to gain further detailed information on the contribution of the ovary to IGF-I production. The results of our study support the hypothesis that follicular IGF-I is probably derived by diffusion from peripheral circulation and that local production appears unlikely.

Comparison between transabdominal and transvaginal ultrasound in the evaluation of a multiple follicular growth

The aim of this work is to compare transabdominal and transvaginal ultrasound measurement of ovarian size and follicular number and diameter during cycles of ovulation induction for assisted reproduction technologies. We included in our study fourty patients undergoing a controlled ovarian stimulation: the ultrasound monitoring of multiple follicular growth was performed by the same operator, with both transabdominal and transvaginal route, during the follicular phase of the cycle, until the day of human chorionic gonadotrophin (hCG) administration; in ten women was compared transabdominal and transvaginal evaluation of total number of recruited follicles > 5 mm in size on day -4, on day -2 and on the hCG administration day (day 0); moreover in all the patients transabdominal and transvaginal measurement of the mean follicular diameter of leading follicle and the mean ovarian diameters on hCG injection day was compared.

Estrone 3-glucuronide chemiluminescence immunoassay (LIA) and 17beta estradiol radioimmunoassay (RIA) in the monitoring of superovulation for in vitro fertilization (IVF): correlation with follicular parameters and oocyte maturity

Many works in the literature of the last years had reported that urinary approach to superovulation study is a suitable method to evaluate ovarian response to pharmacological stimulation. Before applying urinary determination of hormonal levels with a chemiluminescence immuno assay (LIA) method in early morning urine (EMU) samples, we had studied the correlation of RIA-LIA procedures with reference to follicular volumes at hCG day and to recovered oocyte maturity; in fact follicular growth and oocyte morphological features are the main parameters to evaluate a successful induced cycle. In our department the IVF cycles are daily monitored with RIA seric E2 and LIA E1-3G determination, besides ultrasound examination of follicular growth. We have studied E2 and E1-3G levels on the hCG administration day and their correlation with follicular areas and volumes; moreover, we have evaluated hormonal values on oocyte pick-up day with reference to recovered oocyte number and maturity. We have assumed as good timing for oocyte pick-up when more than 50% of recovered oocytes were of good quality (maturity score 4). We have observed that the highest pre ovulatory E1-3G value is consistent with the best timing for oocyte pick-up; it's possible to obtain a conversion coefficient follicular volumes and urinary E1-3G excretion. We have not found significant differences between plasmatic and urinary estrogenic parameters. It is important to remember the advantages connected by a not isotopic and not invasive method. The absence of discomfort for the patients may be a decisive factor to choose the monitoring method and LIA procedure may represent a valid alternative to RIA.

Does intraperitoneal insemination in the absence of prior sensitization carry with it a risk of subsequent immunity to sperm?

To evaluate the occurrence of antisperm antibodies in women, with no prior sensitization, 112 couples undergoing intraperitoneal insemination were tested for serum antisperm antibodies with the sperm immobilization test (SIT) and the immunobead test (IBT). A serum sample was taken from each of the 112 patients immediately before the first intraperitoneal insemination. Another sample was taken from 58 patients who underwent a second insemination procedure. In 16 of the 58 patients the IBT results were positive for one or more immunoglobulin classes. Five patients showed positive SITs. In 7 out of these 16 subjects (12%) the antibodies were bound to the head and to the shaft of the sperm tail. Five of the six patients submitted to a third intraperitoneal insemination procedure showed unchanged SIT values and IBT binding percentages. In one subject, SIT (6 months after the third insemination) became negative. Antibody production may be either a transient response to massive antigen stimulation or the first step toward systemic immunity.