The impact of lymphocytosis and CD4/CD8 ratio on the anti-JCV antibody index and clinical data in patients treated with natalizumab

Background Natalizumab is an effective therapy in the treatment of relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis; it induces lymphocytosis (NIL, natalizumab-induced lymphocytosis) and changes the peripheral lymphocyte pattern. Methods This study aims to evaluate NIL, peripheral blood lymphocyte subsets, CD4/CD8 ratio, and their impacts on JCV index and clinical data-No Evidence of Disease Activity (NEDA-3) and annualized relapse rate (ARR) in patients treated with natalizumab. Results Forty-one patients (33 women) were included in the study. The mean duration of follow-up on natalizumab treatment was 6.7 +/- 3.2 years. Significant increases in relative lymphocytosis after 1 month, with a median of 40.4% (- 34.1 to + 145.5%) (p < 0.001), and after 1 year (49.0% (- 9.3 to + 127.6%)) (p < 0.001) were found. Significant differences were found after 1 month when comparing NIL between patients JCV-seroconverting (20.6% (- 17.7 to 72.7%)) and stable JCV-seronegative ones (43.5% (- 6.3 to +96.3%)) (p = 0.04). No significant difference NIL level was found between the patients exhibiting NEDA-3 status and those without it. ARR on natalizumab treatment correlated with CD4/CD8 ratio (r = 0.356; p = 0.021); patients who maintained NEDA-3 status over the whole treatment period exhibited a lower CD4/CD8 ratio (1.89 +/- 1.08 vs. 2.5 +/- 0.73; p < 0.04). Conclusion This contribution reports the CD4/CD8 ratio as a possible biomarker for better clinical efficacy of natalizumab in patients exhibiting a lower CD4/CD8 ratio. NIL did not correlate with long-term therapeutic efficacy in patients treated with natalizumab, but was demonstrated as lower in patients JCV-seroconverting in the course of follow-up.

Automated summary

This study evaluates the impact of natalizumab treatment on lymphocyte subsets, CD4/CD8 ratio, and their relationship with JCV index and clinical data including NEDA-3 and ARR. The results show significant increases in lymphocytosis after natalizumab treatment, with CD4/CD8 ratio correlating with ARR. Patients maintaining NEDA-3 status exhibit lower CD4/CD8 ratio over the treatment period.