The Beneficial Clinical Effects of Teriflunomide in Experimental Autoimmune Myasthenia Gravis and the Investigation of the Possible Immunological Mechanisms


Creative Commons License

Koseoglu E., SUNGUR N., MUHTAROĞLU S., ZARARSIZ G., EKEN A.

Cellular and Molecular Neurobiology, cilt.43, sa.5, ss.2071-2087, 2023 (SCI-Expanded) identifier identifier identifier

  • Yayın Türü: Makale / Tam Makale
  • Cilt numarası: 43 Sayı: 5
  • Basım Tarihi: 2023
  • Doi Numarası: 10.1007/s10571-022-01286-5
  • Dergi Adı: Cellular and Molecular Neurobiology
  • Derginin Tarandığı İndeksler: Science Citation Index Expanded (SCI-EXPANDED), Scopus, Academic Search Premier, BIOSIS, CAB Abstracts, EMBASE, MEDLINE, Veterinary Science Database
  • Sayfa Sayıları: ss.2071-2087
  • Anahtar Kelimeler: Teriflunomide, Myasthenia gravis, Anti-acetylcholine receptor antibodies, Cytokines, Lymphocytes, ORAL TERIFLUNOMIDE, CELLS, AUTOANTIBODIES, COMPLEMENT, ANTIBODIES, SUBCLASS, MUSK
  • Kayseri Üniversitesi Adresli: Hayır

Özet

© 2022, The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature.Myasthenia gravis (MG) is an autoantibody-mediated autoimmune disease characterized by skeletal muscle weakness exacerbated with exercise. There is a need for novel drugs effective in refractory MG. We aimed to test the potential of teriflunomide, an immunomodulatory drug currently used in rheumatoid arthritis and multiple sclerosis treatment, in a murine experimental autoimmune myasthenia gravis (EAMG) model. EAMG was induced by immunizations with recombinant acetylcholine receptor (AChR). Teriflunomide treatment (10 mg/kg/day, intraperitoneal) was initiated to one group of mice (n = 21) following the third immunization and continued for 5 weeks. The disease control group (n = 19) did not receive medication. Naïve mice (n = 10) received only mock immunization. In addition to the clinical scorings, the numbers of B cells and T cells, and cytokine profiles of T cells were examined by flow cytometry. Anti-AChR-specific antibodies in the peripheral blood serum were quantified by ELISA. Teriflunomide significantly reduced clinical disease scores and the absolute numbers of CD4+ T cells and some of their cytokine-producing subgroups (IFN-γ, IL 2, IL22, IL-17A, GM-CSF) in the spleen and the lymph nodes. The thymic CD4+ T cells were also significantly reduced. Teriflunomide mostly spared CD8+ T cells’ numbers and cytokine production, while reducing CD138+CD19+lambda+ plasma B cells’ absolute numbers and CD138 mean fluorescent intensities, probably decreasing the number of IgG secreting more mature plasma cells. It also led to some selective changes in the measurements of anti-AChR-specific antibodies in the serum. Our results showed that teriflunomide may be beneficial in the treatment of MG in humans. Graphical Abstract: [Figure not available: see fulltext.].