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ABSTRACT: Objective
Here we report a case of a splenectomized white woman with natalizumab-associated progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy (PML), occurring as early as after 11 infusions and provide blood fluorescence-activated cell sorting (FACS) analyses before and after natalizumab treatment.Design
This is a report of a single case with immunological studies.Methods
Methods comprised neurologic examination, magnetic resonance imaging, and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) studies as well as immune cell FACS analyses from blood.Results
Diagnosis of PML was established after positive John Cunningham virus (JCV) DNA was detected in the CSF. An immune reconstitution inflammatory syndrome was treated with repeated cycles of steroid pulses and intravenous immunoglobulins. Reduced numbers of memory B cells, which might play an important role in antiviral immune response, were detected in the blood. Moreover the percentage of CD19+ B cells was elevated in our post-splenectomy patient as compared to a control cohort of multiple sclerosis (MS) patients under natalizumab therapy.Conclusion
Splenectomy may increase the risk for the development of natalizumab-associated PML via effects on the B cell compartment. It may be regarded as a risk factor in MS patients independent from the duration of disease.
SUBMITTER: Lee DH
PROVIDER: S-EPMC3854515 | biostudies-literature | 2013 Oct
REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature
Journal of neuroinflammation 20131009
<h4>Objective</h4>Here we report a case of a splenectomized white woman with natalizumab-associated progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy (PML), occurring as early as after 11 infusions and provide blood fluorescence-activated cell sorting (FACS) analyses before and after natalizumab treatment.<h4>Design</h4>This is a report of a single case with immunological studies.<h4>Methods</h4>Methods comprised neurologic examination, magnetic resonance imaging, and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) studies ...[more]