Measurement of antibodies to pneumococcal, meningococcal and haemophilus polysaccharides, and tetanus and diphtheria toxoids using a 19-plexed assay.

The measurement of antibody responses to vaccination is useful in the assessment of immune status in suspected immune deficiency. Previous reliance on enzyme-linked immunoabsorbent assays (ELISA) has been cumbersome, time-consuming and expensive. The availability of flow cytometry systems has led to the development of multiplexed assays enabling simultaneous measurement of antibodies to several antigens.

A multicenter survey of rituximab therapy for refractory antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibody-associated vasculitis.

Objective: B cell depletion with rituximab has allowed remissions in relapsing or refractory antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibody (ANCA)-associated vasculitis in small studies. The aim of this study was to determine the efficacy and safety of rituximab for ANCA-associated vasculitis in a larger multicenter cohort. This permitted comparison of rituximab dosing regimens, the value of continuing immunosuppression, and investigation of ANCA and B cell levels as re-treatment biomarkers.

Relapsed Wegener's granulomatosis after rituximab therapy--B cells are present in new pathological lesions despite persistent 'depletion' of peripheral blood.

Wegener's granulomatosis (WG) is a chronic, relapsing, systemic autoimmune disease. Rituximab, a monoclonal antibody against human CD20, has shown promise as a novel treatment for WG. The monitoring of therapeutic B-cell 'depletion' by peripheral blood flow cytometry has been proposed to help monitor rituximab therapy.

Social support is positively associated with the immunoglobulin M response to vaccination with pneumococcal polysaccharides.

Evidence shows that psychosocial factors are associated with immunoglobulin G response to medical vaccinations. As yet, there are no reports of whether the earlier immunoglobulin M response is similarly susceptible. This study examined the association between psychological stress, social support and the immunoglobulin M response to vaccination with pneumococcal capsular polysaccharides.

Levels of autoantibodies, unlike antibodies to all extrinsic antigen groups, fall following B cell depletion with Rituximab.

Many autoantibodies have variable-region sequences indicating their production in an affinity-matured antibody response involving germinal centers (GC). Plasma cells from GC can be long-lived, do not express CD20 and thus should not be depleted by a therapeutic monoclonal Ab against human CD20 - Rituximab. Nevertheless, autoantibody titers often fall following Rituximab treatment.

Psychosocial factors are associated with the antibody response to both thymus-dependent and thymus-independent vaccines.

The present study examined the association between psychological stress, social support and antibody response to both thymus-dependent and thymus-independent vaccinations. Stressful life events in the previous year and customary social support were measured by standard questionnaires at baseline in 75 (41 females) healthy students. Antibody status was assessed at baseline, 4 and 18 weeks following vaccination with formaldehyde inactivated hepatitis A virus and pneumococcal polysaccharides, which induce thymus-dependent and -independent antibody responses respectively.

Pathogenic mechanisms of anti-neutrophil cytoplasm antibody-associated vasculitis.

Anti-neutrophil cytoplasm antibody (ANCA)-associated vasculitides are rare autoimmune diseases that can often be life threatening. They particularly affect the kidneys and lungs but can also affect many other organs. Various hypotheses have been proposed to explain the loss of tolerance against ANCA antigens (present in granules of neutrophils and monocytes); however, clear mechanisms remain elusive.