1. Fingolimod induces BAFF and expands circulating transitional B cells without activating memory B cells and plasma cells in multiple sclerosis
- Author
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Shizuki Doi, Masanori Mizuno, Toshiyuki Fukazawa, Naoya Minami, Eri Takahashi, Masakazu Nakamura, Itaru Amino, Yasuo Terayama, Shin Hisahara, Shun Shimohama, Naoto Fujiki, Sachiko Akimoto, Fumihito Nakano, Masako Suzuki, Seiji Kikuchi, Yusei Miyazaki, and Masaaki Niino
- Subjects
Adult ,Male ,medicine.medical_specialty ,Multiple Sclerosis ,Transmembrane Activator and CAML Interactor Protein ,Plasma Cells ,Immunology ,Biology ,Young Adult ,03 medical and health sciences ,0302 clinical medicine ,Internal medicine ,Fingolimod Hydrochloride ,B-Cell Activating Factor ,medicine ,Humans ,Immunology and Allergy ,B-Cell Maturation Antigen ,B-cell activating factor ,B-Lymphocytes ,Activator (genetics) ,Precursor Cells, B-Lymphoid ,Multiple sclerosis ,Middle Aged ,medicine.disease ,Fingolimod ,Transmembrane protein ,Cross-Sectional Studies ,Endocrinology ,Case-Control Studies ,Female ,Tumor necrosis factor alpha ,Immunologic Memory ,Immunosuppressive Agents ,030217 neurology & neurosurgery ,030215 immunology ,medicine.drug - Abstract
Patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) who are treated with fingolimod have an increased proportion of transitional B cells in the circulation, but the underlying mechanism is not known. We hypothesized that B cell-activating factor of the tumor necrosis factor family (BAFF) is involved in the process. Compared with healthy controls and untreated MS patients, fingolimod-treated MS patients had significantly higher serum concentrations of BAFF, which positively correlated with the proportions and the absolute numbers of transitional B cells in blood. Despite the elevated concentrations of BAFF in fingolimod-treated MS patients, serum levels of soluble transmembrane activator and calcium-modulating cyclophilin ligand interactor, and B cell maturation antigen were not elevated. Our results show that fingolimod induces BAFF in the circulation and expands transitional B cells, but does not activate memory B cells or plasma cells in MS, which is favorable for the treatment of this disease.
- Published
- 2018