Article
Medicine, General & Internal
Roberta Amoriello, Maria Chernigovskaya, Victor Greiff, Alberto Carnasciali, Luca Massacesi, Alessandro Barilaro, Anna M. Repice, Tiziana Biagioli, Alessandra Aldinucci, Paolo A. Muraro, David A. Laplaud, Andreas Lossius, Clara Ballerini
Summary: CSF repertoires in MS patients show a significantly higher percentage of public clones and sequence similarity compared to peripheral blood, but the repertoire polarization between CSF and PB is not significantly different. One PPMS CSF repertoire differs in TCR similarity architecture. Cluster analysis distinguishes MS from HD.
Article
Immunology
Jennifer Massey, Katherine Jackson, Mandeep Singh, Brendan Hughes, Barbara Withers, Carole Ford, Melissa Khoo, Kevin Hendrawan, John Zaunders, Benedicte Charmeteau-De Muylder, Remi Cheynier, Fabio Luciani, David Ma, John Moore, Ian Sutton
Summary: This study investigates T cell reconstitution in highly active MS patients for 36 months after AHSCT. The results show that AHSCT induces significant changes in the dominant T cell clones of CD4+ and CD8+ memory T cells. After lymphopenia-induced homeostatic proliferation, clonal attrition occurs. Recovery of thymically-derived CD4 naive T cell repertoire begins at 12 months and continues, but the diversity of the naive populations does not increase compared to baseline, indicating that the principal mechanism for durable remission from MS after AHSCT relates to depletion of putative auto-reactive clones.
FRONTIERS IN IMMUNOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Clinical Neurology
Alessandra Aiello, Andrea Coppola, Serena Ruggieri, Chiara Farroni, Anna Maria Gerarda Altera, Andrea Salmi, Valentina Vanini, Gilda Cuzzi, Linda Petrone, Silvia Meschi, Daniele Lapa, Aurora Bettini, Shalom Haggiag, Luca Prosperini, Simonetta Galgani, Maria Esmeralda Quartuccio, Nazario Bevilacqua, Anna Rosa Garbuglia, Chiara Agrati, Vincenzo Puro, Carla Tortorella, Claudio Gasperini, Emanuele Nicastri, Delia Goletti
Summary: COVID-19 vaccine booster strengthens humoral and Th1-cell responses and increases T-EM cells in patients with multiple sclerosis.
JOURNAL OF NEUROLOGY NEUROSURGERY AND PSYCHIATRY
(2023)
Review
Immunology
Georges Jalkh, Rachelle Abi Nahed, Gabrielle Macaron, Mary Rensel
Summary: In the past decade, the therapeutic options for multiple sclerosis have greatly expanded, with newer and more effective disease modifying therapies being increasingly used early in the disease course. Despite their advantages in controlling disease activity and improving long-term outcomes, these newer therapies come with safety concerns and monitoring requirements that highlight the need for periodic re-evaluation and adjustment of monitoring strategies for optimizing treatment safety in an individualized manner.
Review
Immunology
Hans-Peter Hartung, Bruce A. C. Cree, Michael Barnett, Sven G. Meuth, Amit Bar-Or, Lawrence Steinman
Summary: Disease-modifying therapies for relapsing multiple sclerosis reduce relapse rates by suppressing peripheral immune cells but have limited efficacy in progressive forms of the disease. Cladribine and sphingosine 1-phosphate receptor modulators could have beneficial direct central nervous system properties.
FRONTIERS IN IMMUNOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Clinical Neurology
Steve Simpson-Yap, Edward De Brouwer, Tomas Kalincik, Nick Rijke, Jan A. Hillert, Clare Walton, Gilles Edan, Yves Moreau, Tim Spelman, Lotte Geys, Tina Parciak, Clement Gautrais, Nikola Lazovski, Ashkan Pirmani, Amin Ardeshirdavanai, Lars Forsberg, Anna Glaser, Robert McBurney, Hollie Schmidt, Arnfin B. Bergmann, Stefan Braune, Alexander Stahmann, Rodden Middleton, Amber Salter, Robert J. Fox, Anneke van der Walt, Helmut Butzkueven, Raed Alroughani, Serkan Ozakbas, Juan Rojas, Ingrid van der Mei, Nupur Nag, Rumen Ivanov, Guilherme Sciascia do Olival, Alice Estavo Dias, Melinda Magyari, Doralina Brum, Maria Fernanda Mendes, Ricardo N. Alonso, Richard S. Nicholas, Johana Bauer, Anibal Sebastian Chertcoff, Anna Zabalza, Georgina Arrambide, Alexander Fidao, Giancarlo Comi, Liesbet Peeters
Summary: Using data from 12 sources in 28 countries, this study examined the characteristics of COVID-19 severity in people with MS, particularly those taking immunosuppressive therapies. The results showed that older age, progressive MS phenotype, and higher disability were associated with worse COVID-19 outcomes. Additionally, rituximab was consistently associated with increased risk of hospitalization, ICU admission, and need for ventilation, while ocrelizumab was mainly associated with hospitalization and ICU admission.
Article
Immunology
Federica Dominelli, Maria Antonella Zingaropoli, Matteo Tartaglia, Eeva Tortellini, Mariasilvia Guardiani, Valentina Perri, Patrizia Pasculli, Federica Ciccone, Leonardo Malimpensa, Viola Baione, Anna Napoli, Aurelia Gaeta, Miriam Lichtner, Antonella Conte, Claudio Maria Mastroianni, Maria Rosa Ciardi
Summary: The study evaluated the humoral and specific T-cell response in people with MS under DMTs before and after vaccination. The results showed that DMTs may influence the immune response to vaccination in MS patients. The understanding of T-cell quality dynamic is important for determining the best vaccination strategy for MS patients under different DMTs.
FRONTIERS IN IMMUNOLOGY
(2022)
Review
Clinical Neurology
Francesca Washington, Dawn Langdon
Summary: Research shows that patients with multiple sclerosis often struggle with treatment adherence, influenced by factors such as age, gender, emotions, cognition, and treatment satisfaction. Targeted patient support programs should be developed to improve treatment compliance.
JOURNAL OF NEUROLOGY
(2022)
Review
Cell Biology
Mahima Arunkumar, Christina E. Zielinski
Summary: In recent years, there has been rapid growth in the application of information technology to biological data, especially in the field of immunology, resulting in significant advances. T-cell receptor repertoire analysis requires highly sophisticated bioinformatics tools, which have recently emerged for various aspects of immunological research, posing a challenge for researchers in choosing the right approach.
Review
Immunology
Veronica Cabreira, Pedro Abreu, Ricardo Soares-dos-Reis, Joana Guimaraes, Maria Jose Sa
Summary: Most MS patients receiving DMTs do not have a higher risk of severe COVID-19, but factors like age, comorbidities, and disability can significantly impact outcomes. While most DMTs have minimal influence on COVID-19, therapies causing severe lymphopenia and hypogammaglobulinemia, like anti-CD20 therapies, may lead to increased hospitalization, worse outcomes, and higher reinfection risk.
Article
Clinical Neurology
Ibrahima Diouf, Charles B. Malpas, Sifat Sharmin, Izanne Roos, Dana Horakova, Eva Kubala Havrdova, Francesco Patti, Vahid Shaygannejad, Serkan Ozakbas, Sara Eichau, Marco Onofrj, Alessandra Lugaresi, Raed Alroughani, Alexandre Prat, Pierre Duquette, Murat Terzi, Cavit Boz, Francois Grand'Maison, Patrizia Sola, Diana Ferraro, Pierre Grammond, Bassem Yamout, Ayse Altintas, Oliver Gerlach, Jeannette Lechner-Scott, Roberto Bergamaschi, Rana Karabudak, Gerardo Iuliano, Christopher McGuigan, Elisabetta Cartechini, Stella Hughes, Maria Jose Sa, Claudio Solaro, Ludwig Kappos, Suzanne Hodgkinson, Mark Slee, Franco Granella, Koen de Gans, Pamela A. McCombe, Radek Ampapa, Anneke van der Walt, Helmut Butzkueven, Jose Luis Sanchez-Menoyo, Steve Vucic, Guy Laureys, Youssef Sidhom, Riadh Gouider, Tamara Castillo-Trivino, Orla Gray, Eduardo Aguera-Morales, Abdullah Al-Asmi, Cameron Shaw, Talal M. Al-Harbi, Tunde Csepany, Angel P. Sempere, Irene Trevino Frenk, Elizabeth A. Stuart, Tomas Kalincik
Summary: This study compared the effectiveness of six commonly used therapies for relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS) over a 5-year period. The results showed that natalizumab, fingolimod, and dimethyl fumarate were more effective in reducing relapses than glatiramer acetate. Natalizumab also showed superior effects in reducing disability worsening and improving disability compared to other interventions.
JOURNAL OF NEUROLOGY NEUROSURGERY AND PSYCHIATRY
(2023)
Review
Biochemical Research Methods
Kerui Peng, Theodore S. Nowicki, Katie Campbell, Mohammad Vahed, Dandan Peng, Yiting Meng, Anish Nagareddy, Yu-Ning Huang, Aaron Karlsberg, Zachary Miller, Jaqueline Brito, Brian Nadel, Victoria M. Pak, Malak S. Abedalthagafi, Amanda M. Burkhardt, Houda Alachkar, Antoni Ribas, Serghei Mangul
Summary: Researchers have evaluated the ability of RNA-Seq-based methods to detect T-cell receptor (TCR) sequences by analyzing 19 cancer cohorts. The results show that RNA-Seq-based methods can effectively capture clonotypes and estimate the diversity of TCR repertoires, particularly in T-cell-rich tissues and low-diversity tissues. However, the ability of RNA-Seq methods is limited in T-cell-poor tissues, especially in highly diverse repertoires. Therefore, incorporating RNA-Seq into immune repertoire screening of cancer patients provides broader transcriptomic knowledge beyond the limited information of TCR-Seq.
BRIEFINGS IN BIOINFORMATICS
(2023)
Article
Clinical Neurology
Lina Jeantin, Basma Abdi, Cathia Soulie, Delphine Sterlin, Elisabeth Maillart, Ysoline Beigneux, Amandine Hippolyte, Lisa Belin, Anne-Genevieve Marcelin, Valerie Pourcher, Celine Louapre
Summary: This retrospective study compared the immune responses and antibody levels of patients who received SARS-CoV-2 vaccination before and after anti-CD20 therapy. The results showed that the immune responses were weaker and the vaccine efficacy was decreased after introducing anti-CD20 therapy.
JOURNAL OF NEUROLOGY NEUROSURGERY AND PSYCHIATRY
(2023)
Review
Pharmacology & Pharmacy
Peter Alping
Summary: This study aimed to summarize the current evidence for rituximab as a treatment for relapsing-remitting MS (RRMS).
BASIC & CLINICAL PHARMACOLOGY & TOXICOLOGY
(2023)
Review
Immunology
Roberta Amoriello, Alice Mariottini, Clara Ballerini
Summary: The diversity of TCR repertoire decreases with age, influencing the capability of the immune system. Understanding the impact of immunosenescence on health and disease requires studying the dynamics of TCR repertoire over the life course. Multiple Sclerosis, being an age-sensitive autoimmune disease, necessitates investigation into age-related variations in TCR dynamics to comprehend disease mechanisms and outcomes.
FRONTIERS IN IMMUNOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Clinical Neurology
Roberta Amoriello, Roberta Rizzo, Alice Mariottini, Daria Bortolotti, Valentina Gentili, Elena Bonechi, Alessandra Aldinucci, Alberto Carnasciali, Benedetta Peruzzi, Anna Maria Repice, Luca Massacesi, Enrico Fainardi, Clara Ballerini
Summary: Relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS) is associated with the HLA-G gene, which may play a role in regulating the disease. The study found that serum sHLA-G level is influenced by genotype and has an impact on treatment and MRI activity, but is not correlated with peripheral inflammation.
FRONTIERS IN NEUROLOGY
(2022)
Review
Medicine, General & Internal
Luca Massacesi, Alice Mariottini, Ferdinando Nicoletti
Summary: Evidence of the effectiveness of B-cell-depleting monoclonal antibodies in multiple sclerosis has led to a re-examination of the pathogenesis of the disease. The mechanisms underlying the efficacy of these antibodies likely involve impairing B-cell functions other than antibody secretion and potentially impacting inflammation within the central nervous system. However, further research is needed to understand these mechanisms and the ability of the antibodies to cross the blood-brain barrier.
JOURNAL OF CLINICAL MEDICINE
(2022)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Giuseppe Di Mauro, Roberta Amoriello, Neus Lozano, Alberto Carnasciali, Daniele Guasti, Maurizio Becucci, Giada Cellot, Kostas Kostarelos, Clara Ballerini, Laura Ballerini
Summary: In neuroinflammation, astrocytes respond to pro-inflammatory cytokines (CKs) through Ca2+ signaling and play important roles in disease progression. Graphene oxide (GO) nanoparticles offer a promising approach to target astrocytes and regulate their reactivity. This study investigates the effects of CKs on astrocytic Ca2+ signaling and demonstrates the potential of GO to reverse the dysregulated cellular changes in astrocytes. The findings suggest that GO-based therapeutics may be effective in treating immune-mediated neuroinflammatory diseases.
Article
Clinical Neurology
Giacomo Boffa, Alessio Signori, Luca Massacesi, Alice Mariottini, Elvira Sbragia, Salvatore Cottone, Maria Pia Amato, Claudio Gasperini, Lucia Moiola, Stefano Meletti, Anna Maria Repice, Vincenzo Brescia Morra, Giuseppe Salemi, Francesco Patti, Massimo Filippi, Giovanna De Luca, Giacomo Lus, Mauro Zaffaroni, Patrizia Sola, Antonella Conte, Riccardo Nistri, Umberto Aguglia, Franco Granella, Simonetta Galgani, Luisa Maria Caniatti, Alessandra Lugaresi, Silvia Romano, Pietro Iaffaldano, Eleonora Cocco, Riccardo Saccardi, Emanuele Angelucci, Maria Trojano, Giovanni Luigi Mancardi, Maria Pia Sormani, Matilde Inglese
Summary: This study compared the effects of autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (AHSCT) with other anti-inflammatory disease-modifying therapies (DMTs) on long-term disability worsening in active secondary progressive multiple sclerosis (SPMS). The results showed that AHSCT was associated with a slower disability progression and a higher likelihood of disability improvement compared to standard immunotherapy.
Review
Immunology
Matt Pennell, Oscar L. Rodriguez, Corey T. Watson, Victor Greiff
Summary: The recombination between immunoglobulin gene segments determines an individual's antibody repertoire and impacts immune responses. The diversity within immunoglobulin loci remains a mystery but is important for designing effective vaccines and therapeutics. Recent evidence may help unravel the causes and consequences of this diversity.
TRENDS IN IMMUNOLOGY
(2023)
Review
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Alice Mariottini, Giovanni Bulgarini, Sara Cornacchini, Valentina Damato, Riccardo Saccardi, Luca Massacesi
Summary: Over the past two decades, haematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) has been investigated as a potential treatment for autoimmune diseases, including neurological disorders, that do not respond to conventional therapies. Autologous HSCT (AHSCT) has been favored over allogeneic HSCT (allo-HSCT) due to its better safety profile. While multiple sclerosis (MS) is the most common neurological indication for AHSCT, evidence on the effectiveness of HSCT in other autoimmune neurological diseases is emerging, though with a more uncertain risk-benefit ratio. This article provides a brief overview of the rationale for using HSCT in neurological diseases, the experimental models that led to its clinical application, and discusses the use of HSCT in autoimmune diseases other than MS, including myasthenia gravis, myopathies, and stiff-person syndrome. It also summarizes ongoing and future studies on this topic.
BIOENGINEERING-BASEL
(2023)
Review
Medicine, Research & Experimental
Monica L. Fernandez-Quintero, Anne Ljungars, Franz Waibl, Victor Greiff, Jan Terje Andersen, Torelif T. T. Gjolberg, Timothy P. P. Jenkins, Bjorn Gunnar Voldborg, Lise Marie Grav, Sandeep Kumar, Guy Georges, Hubert Kettenberger, Klaus R. R. Liedl, Peter M. M. Tessier, John McCafferty, Andreas H. H. Laustsen
Summary: Beyond potency, a good developability profile is essential for a biological drug. Early selection and screening for these attributes can save resources and avoid costly failures. This review highlights key developability properties, such as the source, biophysical and pharmacokinetic properties, and recombinant expression, and discusses methods for identifying molecules with liabilities and optimizing drug leads. The article also compares developability parameters for injectable and orally delivered biologics and provides an outlook on emerging trends in biologics development.
Article
Clinical Neurology
Andrea Bertozzi, Alice Mariottini, Leonardo Marchi, Maria Di Cristinzi, Riccardo Nistri, Valentina Damato, Claudia Mechi, Alessandro Barilaro, Luca Massacesi, Anna Maria Repice
Summary: This retrospective study examined the safety and effectiveness of booster dose of anti-COVID19 vaccines in people with multiple sclerosis (pwMS). The results showed that the booster dose had good safety profile and protected 79% of the patients from SARS-CoV-2 infection. Age at vaccination and time interval between primary vaccination and booster dose were associated with the risk of COVID-19 infection.
MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS AND RELATED DISORDERS
(2023)
Article
Biology
Alberto Vassallo, Roberta Amoriello, Prandvera Guri, Lorenzo Casbarra, Matteo Ramazzotti, Marco Zaccaroni, Clara Ballerini, Duccio Cavalieri, Massimiliano Marvasi
Summary: This study investigates the molecular mechanisms of how E. coli adapts and survives in tomatoes. The researchers compare E. coli grown in tomatoes with those grown in laboratory conditions, identifying genes and molecular determinants involved in the bacteria's adaptation. The study also demonstrates the protective effects of adaptation in resisting toxic compounds.
Article
Computer Science, Artificial Intelligence
Mai Ha Vu, Rahmad Akbar, Philippe A. Robert, Bartlomiej Swiatczak, Geir Kjetil Sandve, Victor Greiff, Dag Trygve Truslew Haug
Summary: Language models trained on proteins can predict functions from sequences but lack insight into underlying mechanisms. Extracting rules from these models can make them interpretable and help explain biological mechanisms.
NATURE MACHINE INTELLIGENCE
(2023)
Review
Clinical Neurology
Alice Mariottini, Eleonora De Matteis, Maria Teresa Cencioni, Paolo A. A. Muraro
Summary: Autologous haematopoietic stem cell transplantation (AHSCT) is increasingly recognized as a treatment option for multiple sclerosis (MS). Recent studies have confirmed the persistent anti-inflammatory effects and improvement in disease course in patients with relapsing-remitting MS. Further research is needed to determine the role of AHSCT in other forms of MS.
CURRENT NEUROLOGY AND NEUROSCIENCE REPORTS
(2023)
Article
Clinical Neurology
Alice Mariottini, Antonio Lotti, Chiara Innocenti, Anna Maria Repice, Chiara Nozzoli, Riccardo Boncompagni, Enrico Fainardi, Riccardo Saccardi, Luca Massacesi
Summary: This study aimed to investigate the impact of COVID-19 on people with multiple sclerosis (pwMS) who were not receiving continuous disease-modifying therapy. The results showed that pwMS without treatment or receiving moderate-efficacy therapy might be more prone to disease reactivation, highlighting the need for careful monitoring and further investigation.
EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF NEUROLOGY
(2023)
Review
Clinical Neurology
Alice Mariottini, Paolo A. Muraro, Riccardo Saccardi
Summary: In multiple sclerosis, progression independent of new focal inflammation may occur shortly after disease onset. Early use of high efficacy disease-modifying therapies (HE-DMTs) has been shown to reduce disability accrual. Autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (AHSCT), a procedure inducing maximal immunosuppression followed by immune reconstitution, has been demonstrated to be superior to DMTs in one randomized clinical trial.
MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS AND RELATED DISORDERS
(2023)
Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Tanase Timis, Jon Thor Bergthorsson, Victor Greiff, Mihai Cenariu, Diana Cenariu
Summary: Most young patients with advanced skin tumors die from melanoma, but modern treatments have improved survival rates. However, managing advanced stage melanoma remains difficult due to the lack of long-lasting response to initial treatment and the absence of randomized clinical trials in post immunotherapy/targeted molecular therapy settings.
CURRENT ISSUES IN MOLECULAR BIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Biochemical Research Methods
Cedric R. Weber, Teresa Rubio, Longlong Wang, Wei Zhang, Philippe A. Robert, Rahmad Akbar, Igor Snapkov, Jinghua Wu, Marieke L. Kuijjer, Sonia Tarazona, Ana Conesa, Geir K. Sandve, Xiao Liu, Sai T. Reddy, Victor Greiff
Summary: The similarity of immune repertoires can represent an individual's immune history. However, current understanding might be incorrect as certain immune states show highly similar immune repertoires in both healthy and diseased individuals, suggesting that immune perturbations do not cause significant changes in repertoires.
CELL REPORTS METHODS
(2022)