Anti-JC virus antibody titres increase over time with natalizumab treatment.
File(s)
Accepted version
Author(s)
Raffel, J
Gafson, AR
Malik, O
Nicholas, R
Type
Journal Article
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Anti-JC virus antibody status is a risk factor for progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy after natalizumab treatment in multiple sclerosis. Previous studies have used a cross-sectional approach to conclude that the presence and duration of natalizumab treatment does not influence anti-JCV Ab seropositivity. OBJECTIVES: Using a longitudinal approach, we measured change in anti-JCV Ab results after natalizumab treatment. METHODS: Anti-JCV Ab results (n = 1154) from the second-generation STRATIFY JCV™ DxSelect™ test were analysed from an observational cohort of MS patients on natalizumab (n = 485; n = 340 with repeat testing; n = 657 repeat tests on natalizumab). RESULTS: Across sequential paired tests, seroconversion rate was greater than seroreversion rate (40/364 (11.0%) versus 18/293 (6.1%); p < 0.05). Moreover, anti-JCV Ab index increased across longitudinal paired tests (mA-B 0.102; paired t(656) = 5.0; p < 0.0001). This magnitude of Ab level increase far exceeds that expected due to increasing age alone. CONCLUSION: Our data suggest that natalizumab therapy is associated with a significant and substantial increase in anti-JCV Ab index over time. Further work should focus on the underlying mechanisms of this phenomenon, and the clinical relevance to risk stratification.
Date Issued
2015-10-08
Date Acceptance
2015-07-17
Citation
Multiple Sclerosis Journal, 2015, 21 (14), pp.1833-1838
ISSN
1477-0970
Publisher
SAGE Publications (UK and US)
Start Page
1833
End Page
1838
Journal / Book Title
Multiple Sclerosis Journal
Volume
21
Issue
14
Copyright Statement
© The Author(s), 2015. The final publication is available via Sage at https://dx.doi.org/10.1177/1352458515599681
Identifier
PII: 1352458515599681
Subjects
JC virus
Multiple sclerosis
natalizumab
progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy
Publication Status
Published