Intravenous immunoglobulins containing antibodies against β-amyloid for the treatment of Alzheimer’s disease (original) (raw)

Intravenous immunoglobulins containing antibodies against β-amyloid for the treatment of Alzheimer’s disease

R C Dodel1,
Y Du2,
C Depboylu1,
H Hampel3,
L Frölich4,
A Haag5,
U Hemmeter6,
S Paulsen7,
S J Teipel3,
S Brettschneider3,
A Spottke1,
C Nölker1,
H J Möller3,
X Wei2,
M Farlow2,
N Sommer5,
W H Oertel5
1Department of Neurology, Friedrich-Wilhelms-University, Bonn, Germany
2Department of Neurology, Indiana University Medical School, Indianapolis, USA
3Department of Psychiatry, Ludwig-Maximilians-University, Munich, Germany
4Department of Psychiatry, Johann Wolfgang Goethe University, Frankfurt, Germany
5Department of Neurology, Philipps-University Marburg, Germany
6Department of Psychiatry, Philipps-University Marburg, Germany
7Department of Psychiatry, University of Giessen, Germany
Correspondence to: R C Dodel Department of Neurology, Friedrich-Wilhelms-University, Sigmund-Freudstr. 25, 53105 Bonn, Germany; richard.dodelukb.uni-bonn.de

Abstract

Objective: Active or passive immunisation can mitigate plaque pathology in murine models of Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Recently, it has been shown that antibodies against β-amyloid (Aβ) are present in human immunoglobulin preparations (IVIgG), which specifically recognise and inhibit the neurotoxic effects of Aβ. This study reports the results from a pilot study using IVIgG in patients with AD.

Methods: Five patients with AD were enrolled and received monthly IVIgG over a 6 month period. Efficacy assessment included total Aβ/Aβ1–42 measured in the CSF/serum as well as effects on cognition (ADAS-cog; CERAD) at baseline and at 6 months following IVIgG.

Results: Following IVIgG, total Aβ levels in the CSF decreased by 30.1% (17.3–43.5%) compared to baseline (p<0.05). Total Aβ increased in the serum by 233% (p<0.05). No significant change was found in Aβ1–42 levels in the CSF/serum. Using ADAS-cog, an improvement of 3.7±2.9 points was detected. Scores in the MMSE were essentially unchanged (improved in four patients, stable in one patient) following IVIgG compared to baseline.

Conclusion: Although the sample size of this pilot study is too small to draw a clear conclusion, the results of this pilot study provide evidence for a more detailed investigation of IVIgG for the treatment of AD.

Aβ, β-amyloid
AD, Alzheimer’s disease
CSF, cerebrospinal fluid
IVlgG, human immunoglobulin preparations
MMSE, Mini-Mental State Examination
alzheimer
immunoglobulin
beta amyloid
immunisation

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