ePoster

B cell reconstitution and the alteration of immune cell landscape in ocrelizumab-treated patients with multiple sclerosis

Meng Wang, Carolin Otto, Camila Fernández Zapata, Adeline Dehlinger, Gerardina Gallaccio, Moritz Niederschweiberer, Patrick Schindler, Desiree Kunkel, Friedemann Paul, Klemens Ruprecht, Chotima Böttcher
FENS Forum 2024(2024)
Messe Wien Exhibition & Congress Center, Vienna, Austria

Conference

FENS Forum 2024

Messe Wien Exhibition & Congress Center, Vienna, Austria

Resources

Authors & Affiliations

Meng Wang, Carolin Otto, Camila Fernández Zapata, Adeline Dehlinger, Gerardina Gallaccio, Moritz Niederschweiberer, Patrick Schindler, Desiree Kunkel, Friedemann Paul, Klemens Ruprecht, Chotima Böttcher

Abstract

Aim: Monoclonal anti-CD20 antibody ocrelizumab primarily depletes B cells and is approved to treat multiple sclerosis (MS). Although it is known that ocrelizumab does not completely deplete B cells and B cell reconstitution can be detected in some MS patients, little is known about phenotypes of these remaining as well as repopulating B cells and whether they associate to disease outcomes and/or to changes in other immune cell types. Method: In this study, we performed comprehensive in-depth immune profiling of ocrelizumab-treated MS patients after short-term (a cohort of 31 patients) or long-term (a cohort of 50 patients) treatment using mass cytometry and two antibody panels (targeting 63 protein markers). Results: Depletion of CD20+ B and T cells could be detected as early as 2 weeks after treatment, whereas 6 months after treatment the repopulation of these cells could be quantified in some patients. Majority of repopulating B cells were CD20+CD27- B cells with increased transitional phenotypes, while CD27+ memory B cells were rarely repopulated. Patients with B cell repopulation showed less abundance of CD45RO+ICOS+ T cell subsets, compared to the ones without B cell repopulation, suggesting reduced activation of the immune responses. In addition, we characterized differential phenotypic profiles of NK and myeloid cells including granulocytes in these patients. Conclusion: Our results provide comprehensive immune profiles after ocrelizumab treatment, which may help to better understand its complex effects on patients’ immune system.

Unique ID: fens-24/cell-reconstitution-alteration-immune-75b08fe7