Anti-CD20 (rituximab) therapy for anti-IFN-γ autoantibody-associated nontuberculous mycobacterial infection.

Patients with anti-IFN-γ autoantibodies have impaired IFN-γ signaling, leading to severe disseminated infections with intracellular pathogens, especially nontuberculous mycobacteria. Disease may be severe and progressive, despite aggressive treatment. To address the underlying pathogenic IFN-γ autoantibodies we used the therapeutic monoclonal rituximab (anti-CD20) to target patient B cells.

Determination of human anticytokine autoantibody profiles using a particle-based approach.

Background: Anticytokine autoantibodies cause numerous human diseases, ranging from pure red cell aplasia to acquired immunodeficiencies. Rapid, simple, and affordable detection and monitoring of these antibodies is essential. We sought to develop a standardizable assay that is rapid, sensitive, and specific and able to simultaneously detect multiple anticytokine autoantibodies in small volumes (<10 μl).