Autologous immunoglobulin therapy in patients with severe recalcitrant atopic dermatitis: a preliminary report

Acupoint Autohemotherapy Attenuates DNCB-Induced Atopic Dermatitis and Activates Regulatory T Cells in BALB/c Mice

Purpose

Acupoint autohemotherapy (A-AHT) has been proposed as an alternative and complementary treatment for atopic dermatitis (AD), yet the exact role of its blood component in terms of therapeutic efficacy and mechanism of action is still largely unknown.

Methods

This study aimed to evaluate the therapeutic efficacies and action mechanisms of intramuscular injections of autologous whole blood (AWB) and mouse immunoglobulin G (IgG) (autologous or heterologous) at acupoints on 2,4-dinitrochlorobenzene (DNCB)-induced AD mouse models. Serum levels of total immunoglobulin E (IgE), IgG, interleukin-10 (IL-10), and interferon-gamma (IFN-γ) were measured, as well as mRNA expression levels of Forkhead box P3 (FoxP3), IL-10 and IFN-γ in dorsal skin lesions, and IL-10+, IFN-γ+ and FoxP3+CD4+T cells in murine spleen.

Results

It showed that repeated acupoint injection of AWB, autologous total IgG (purified from autologous blood in AD mice) or heterologous total IgG (purified from healthy blood in normal mice) effectively reduced the severity of AD symptoms and decreased epidermal and dermal thickness as well as mast cells in skin lesions. Additionally, AWB acupoint injection was found to upregulate FoxP3+, IL-10+ and IFN-γ+ CD4+T cells in murine spleen, suppressing the production of IgE antibodies and increasing that of IgG antibodies in the serum. Furthermore, both AWB and autologous total IgG administrations significantly elevated FoxP3 expression, mRNA levels of IL-10 and IFN-γ in dorsal skin lesions. However, acupoint injection of heterologous total IgG had no effect on regulatory T (Treg) and Th1 cells modulation.

Conclusion

These findings suggest that the therapeutic effects of A-AHT on AD are mediated by IgG-induced activation of Treg cells.

Mechanism underlying polyvalent IgG-induced regulatory T cell activation and its clinical application: Anti-idiotypic regulatory T cell theory for immune tolerance

The regulatory T (Treg) cells constitute a functionally defined subpopulation of T cells that modulate the immune system and maintain immune tolerance through suppression of the development of autoimmune responses to self-antigens and allergic reactions to external antigens. Reduction in the number or function of Treg cells has been suggested as a key immune abnormality underlying the development of autoimmune and allergic diseases. In vitro studies have demonstrated that purified polyvalent immunoglobulin G (IgG) from multiple healthy blood donors can exert immunomodulatory effects on Treg cells. Incubation of polyvalent human IgG with purified CD4+CD25high T cells increased the intracellular expression of interleukin (IL)-10. Intravenous administration of polyvalent human IgG induced significant expansions of CD4+ Foxp3+ Treg cells and clinical improvements in patients with autoimmune diseases. In human clinical trials, intramuscular administration of autologous total IgG significantly increased the percentage of IL-10-producing CD4+ Treg cells in the peripheral blood of healthy subjects and provided significant clinical improvements in patients with atopic dermatitis. These results suggest a clinical usefulness of polyvalent IgG-induced activation of Treg cells in human subjects. This review proposes a new hypothesis for immune tolerance mechanism by integrating the pre-existing "idiotypic network theory" and "Treg cell theory" into an "anti-idiotypic Treg cell theory." Based on this hypothesis, an "active anti-idiotypic therapy" for allergic and autoimmune diseases using autologous polyvalent IgG (as immunizing antigens) is suggested as follows: (1) Intramuscular or subcutaneous administration of autologous polyvalent IgG produces numerous immunogenic peptides derived from idiotypes of autologous IgG through processing of dendritic cells, and these peptides activate anti-idiotypic Treg cells in the same subject. (2) Activated anti-idiotypic Treg cells secrete IL-10 and suppress Th2 cell response to allergens and autoimmune T cell response to self-antigens. (3) These events can induce a long-term clinical improvements in patients with allergic and autoimmune diseases. Further studies are needed to evaluate the detailed molecular mechanism underlying polyvalent IgG-induced Treg cell activation and the clinical usefulness of this immunomodulatory therapy for autoimmune and allergic diseases.

Regulatory T Cell-Targeted Immunomodulatory Therapy for Long-Term Clinical Improvement of Atopic Dermatitis: Hypotheses and Perspectives

Atopic dermatitis (AD) is a chronically relapsing inflammatory skin disorder characterized by itching and eczematous lesions. It is often associated with a personal or familial history of allergic diseases. Allergic inflammation induced by immunoglobulin E and T-helper type 2 (Th2) cell responses to common environmental agents has been suggested to play an essential role in AD pathogenesis. The standard therapies for AD, including topical or systemic agents, focus on controlling skin inflammation. Recently developed monoclonal antibody to interleukin-4 receptor alpha or Janus kinase inhibitors can provide significant clinical improvements in patients with AD by inhibiting Th2 cell-mediated skin inflammation. However, the clinical efficacy of the Th2 cell-targeted therapy is transient and incomplete in patients with AD. Patients with AD are seeking a permanent cure. Therefore, the development of novel immunomodulatory strategies that can improve a long-term clinical outcome and provide a long-term treatment-free clinical remission of AD (disease-modifying therapy) is needed. Regulatory T (Treg) cells play a critical role in the maintenance of immune tolerance and suppress the development of autoimmune and allergic diseases. This review provides three working hypotheses and perspectives for the treatment of AD by Treg cell activation. (1) A decreased number or function of Treg cells is a critical event that causes the activation of Th2 cells, leading to the development and maintenance of AD. (2) Activation of Treg cells is an effective therapeutic approach for AD. (3) Many different immunomodulatory strategies activating Treg cells can provide a long-term clinical improvement of AD by induction of immune tolerance. The Treg cell-targeted immunomodulatory therapies for AD include allergen immunotherapy, microbiota, vitamin D, polyvalent human immunoglobulin G, monoclonal antibodies to the surface antigens of T cell or antigen-presenting cell, and adoptive transfer of autologous Treg cells or genetically engineered Treg cells expanded in vitro.

Intramuscular Injection of Autologous Serum in Adolescent and Adult Patients with Atopic Dermatitis: A Preliminary Randomized Clinical Trial

PURPOSE

The favorable clinical efficacies of intramuscular injection of autologous blood in patients with atopic dermatitis (AD) and intramuscular injection of autologous serum in patients with chronic urticaria have been demonstrated by randomized clinical trials. In this study, we assessed the clinical effectiveness and safety of the intramuscular injection of autologous serum in patients with AD.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

In this randomized, placebo-controlled, and double-blind trial, 23 adolescent and adult patients with moderate-to-severe AD were enrolled. The patients were randomized to receive eight intramuscular injections of 5 mL of autologous serum (n=11) or saline (n=12) over 4 weeks, and were followed up until week 8. Changes in the clinical severity scores of AD assessed by SCORing Atopic Dermatitis (SCORAD), patient-reported Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI) score, and incidence of adverse events were assessed from baseline to week 8.

RESULTS

One patient in the treatment group and two patients in the placebo group were lost to follow-up before week 8. The intramuscular administration of autologous serum, compared with saline, decreased the SCORAD clinical severity score (-14.8% vs. 10.7%, p=0.006) and improved the DLQI score (-32.6% vs. 19.5%, p=0.01) from baseline to week 8. Serious adverse events were not observed.

CONCLUSION

Intramuscular injection of autologous serum may be effective in treating AD. Further studies are needed to evaluate the clinical usefulness of this intervention for AD (KCT0001969).

Intramuscular administration of autologous total immunoglobulin G induces immunomodulatory effects on T cells in healthy human subjects: An open-labeled prospective single-arm trial

BACKGROUND

We hypothesized that intramuscular administration of autologous total immunoglobulin G (IgG) could induce an immunomodulatory effect in human subjects. In our previous studies, we showed that intramuscular administration of autologous total IgG could induce significant clinical improvements and increases of the serum levels of interleukin-10 (IL-10) and interferon-gamma (IFN-γ) in patients with atopic dermatitis.

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the mechanism of immunomodulation induced by intramuscular administration of autologous total IgG, we evaluated changes in T cells before and after intramuscular administrations of autologous total IgG in this study.

METHODS

Thirteen healthy adults received 8 intramuscular injections of 50 mg autologous total IgG for 4 weeks (from week 0 to week 4). The percentages of IL-10- or IFN-γ-producing peripheral blood T cells, as well as serum levels of IL-10, IFN-γ, and immunoglobulins, were measured at baseline (week 0) and at weeks 4, 8, and 12.

RESULTS

The percentage of IL-10-producing CD4+ T cells was significantly increased at weeks 8 and 12 compared to baseline (P < .05), while the percentage of IFN-γ-producing CD3+ T cells was significantly increased at week 12 compared to baseline (P < .05). There were no significant differences in the serum levels of IL-10, IFN-γ, and immunoglobulins before and after intramuscular administration of autologous total IgG (P > .05). No serious adverse events were observed.

CONCLUSION

Intramuscular administration of autologous total IgG induced immunomodulatory effects on T cells in healthy human subjects. This simple intervention could be a safe, effective, and economical T cell immunomodulation method for human subjects (NCT03695757).

Efficacy, Safety, and Immunomodulatory Effect of the Intramuscular Administration of Autologous Total Immunoglobulin G for Atopic Dermatitis: A Randomized Clinical Trial

Purpose

The management of patients with atopic dermatitis (AD) is often difficult. We hypothesized that repeated intramuscular administration of autologous total immunoglobulin G (IgG) could induce clinical improvement in patients with AD through immune modulation. This clinical trial was conducted to evaluate the efficacy, safety, and immunomodulatory effect of the intramuscular administration of autologous total IgG in patients with AD.

Methods

In this randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial, 51 adolescent and adult patients with moderate-to-severe AD were randomized to receive 8 weekly intramuscular administrations of autologous total IgG 50 mg (n = 26) or saline (n = 25) over a 7-week period and were followed up to week 16. Changes in the clinical severity score (Eczema Area and Severity Index), affected body surface area, patient-reported Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI) score, laboratory biomarkers, and incidence of adverse events from baseline to week 16 were assessed.

Results

The intramuscular administration of autologous total IgG, compared with saline, decreased the clinical severity score (−64.8% vs. −20.3%, P < 0.001), reduced the affected body surface area (−53.9% vs. −19.1%, P < 0.001), improved the DLQI score (−35.4% vs. −14.4%, P = 0.015), increased serum interleukin-10 and interferon-γ levels (P = 0.011 and P = 0.003, respectively), and reduced the incidence of AD exacerbation (11.5% vs. 48.0%, P = 0.004) from baseline to week 16. No serious adverse events were observed.

Conclusions

The intramuscular administration of autologous total IgG provided clinical improvements and a systemic immunomodulatory effect in adolescent and adult patients with moderate-to-severe AD without significant side effects.

Trial Registration

Clinical Research Information Service Identifier: KCT0001597

Immunomodulatory effects induced by intramuscular administration of autologous total immunoglobulin G in patients with atopic dermatitis

BACKGROUND

Polyvalent human immunoglobulin G (IgG) preparations produced from the plasma pools of healthy blood donors have been used for the treatment of various autoimmune diseases and allergic diseases because of their anti-inflammatory and immunomodulatory effects. We hypothesized that intramuscular administration of autologous total IgG would induce immunomodulatory effects in patients with allergic diseases, based on the clinical efficacy of autologous blood therapy in patients with atopic dermatitis (AD).

METHODS

Sixteen adult AD patients with IgE-mediated sensitization to the house dust mite (Dermatophagoides farinae) received intramuscular injections of 50 mg autologous total IgG twice a week for 4 weeks. The serum levels of IgE, IgG, and IgG4 antibodies to the recombinant group 2 major allergen of Dermatophagoides farinae (Der f 2) and serum levels of interleukin (IL)-10, IL-4, IL-12, and interferon gamma (IFN-γ) were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay at baseline and at weeks 4, 8, and 12.

RESULTS

The serum level of IgE antibodies to Der f 2 was significantly decreased at 12 weeks compared with baseline (p<0.005). The serum levels of IgG and IgG4 antibodies to Der f 2 were significantly increased at 4, 8, and 12 weeks compared with baseline (p<0.05). The serum levels of IL-10 and IFN-γ were significantly increased at 4, 8, and 12 weeks compared with baseline (p<0.05). There were no significant differences in the serum levels of IL-4 or IL-12 before and after intramuscular administrations of autologous total IgG (p>0.05).

CONCLUSION

Intramuscular administration of autologous total IgG induced anti-allergic immunomodulatory effects in AD patients. Further studies are required to evaluate the detailed immunological mechanism underlying these effects.

Clinical Efficacy of Subcutaneous Allergen Immunotherapy in Patients with Atopic Dermatitis

PURPOSE

The clinical usefulness of subcutaneous allergen immunotherapy (SCIT) in the treatment of atopic dermatitis (AD) is still controversial. We analyzed the clinical efficacy of SCIT in patients with AD and the clinical characteristics of patients showing a favorable clinical response to the treatment.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Two hundred and fifty one patients with AD sensitized to house dust mite (HDM) were treated by SCIT using HDM extract. The clinical severity of AD was measured using the standardized clinical severity scoring system for AD (SCORAD) at baseline and 12 months. A favorable clinical response to SCIT was defined as a decrease in SCORAD value at 12 months greater than 50% compared to baseline value. Severe AD was defined as a baseline SCORAD value above 50.

RESULTS

A favorable clinical response to SCIT was observed in 73.6% of patients. The proportion of patients showing a favorable clinical response to SCIT was significantly higher in patients with severe AD (90.6%) than patients with mild to moderated AD (63.7%) (p<0.001). Patients with severe AD showing a favorable clinical response had a significantly shorter duration of AD (12.3±8.5 years; mean±SD) than patients with severe AD showing no significant clinical response (20.6±10.9 years) (p<0.05) at baseline.

CONCLUSION

SCIT could be a clinically useful therapeutic option for patients with severe AD sensitized to HDM. Early initiation of SCIT might provide a favorable clinical outcome in patients with severe AD sensitized to HDM.

Autologous Immunoglobulin Therapy in Patients With Severe Recalcitrant Atopic Dermatitis: Long-Term Changes of Clinical Severity and Laboratory Parameters

This report evaluated long-term changes in clinical severity and laboratory parameters in 3 adult patients with severe recalcitrant atopic dermatitis (AD) who were treated with intramuscular injections of 50 mg of autologous immunoglobulin G (IgG) twice a week for 4 weeks (autologous immunoglobulin therapy, AIGT) and followed up for more than 2 years after the treatment. We observed the following 4 major findings in these 3 patients during the long-term follow-up after AIGT. (1) Two of the 3 patients showed a long-term clinical improvement for more than 36 weeks after AIGT with a maximum decrease in clinical severity score greater than 80% from baseline. (2) These 2 patients also showed long-term decreases in serum total IgE concentrations and peripheral blood eosinophil count for more than 36 weeks after AIGT with a maximum decrease in the two laboratory parameters of allergic inflammatory greater than 70% from baseline. (3) No significant side effect was observed during the 2 years of follow-up period after the AIGT in all 3 patients. (4) Serum levels of IgG anti-idiotype antibodies to the F(ab')₂ fragment of autologous IgG administered for the treatment were not significantly changed after AIGT in all 3 patients. These findings suggest that AIGT has long-term favorable effects on both clinical severity and laboratory parameters in selected patients with severe recalcitrant AD. Further studies are required to evaluate the clinical usefulness and therapeutic mechanism of AIGT for AD.

Retrospective Analysis on the Effects of House Dust Mite Specific Immunotherapy for More Than 3 Years in Atopic Dermatitis

PURPOSE

In extrinsic atopic dermatitis (AD), house dust mites (HDM) play a role in eliciting or aggravating allergic lesions. The nature of skin inflammation in AD has raised a growing interest in allergen-specific immunotherapy (SIT). Thus, we assessed clinical improvement and laboratory parameters for evaluation of the benefit of long-term SIT.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

A total of 217 AD patients who were treated with SIT for at least 3 years were retrospectively assessed, by using their investigator global assessment, pruritus scores, loss of sleep (LOS), total serum IgE, and eosinophil counts collected. Patients were additionally classified into subgroups according to age, initial AD severity and mono- or multi-sensitization to include different individual factors in the evaluation of SIT efficacy. Lastly, we compared laboratory data of good responders to SIT with that of poor responders to SIT.

RESULTS

Improvement after SIT therapy was observed in 192 out of 217 patients (88.4%). Among these patients, 138 (63.5%) achieved excellent, near-complete or complete clinical remission. Significant reduction of pruritus, LOS, and the mean value of total serum IgE were observed (p<0.01). Better outcome was found in patients younger than 12 years of age (p=0.024). Patients with moderate to severe AD showed better treatment outcomes (p=0.036). Patients sensitized only to HDM had the better response to treatment, but SIT was also effective in multi-sensitized groups (p=1.051). No significant differences in baseline laboratory results were observed between good and poor responders (p>0.05).

CONCLUSION

We emphasize the usefulness of long-term HDM SIT as a disease-modifying therapy for AD.

Personalized Immunomodulatory Therapy for Atopic Dermatitis: An Allergist's View

The current standard medical therapy for atopic dermatitis (AD) mainly focuses on symptomatic relief by controlling skin inflammation with topical corticosteroids and/or topical calcineurin inhibitors. However, the clinical efficacy of pharmacological therapy is often disappointing to both patients and physicians. The terminology of AD contains a historical meaning of eczematous dermatitis caused by hypersensitivity reaction to environmental inhalant or food allergen. Complex interrelationships among genetic abnormalities, environmental triggers, skin barrier defects, and immune dysfunction resulting in a vicious domino-circle seem to be involved in the development and maintenance of AD. In the viewpoint of AD as an allergic disease, complete avoidance of clinically relevant allergen or induction of specific immune tolerance through administrations of allergen (allergen immunotherapy) can provide clinical remission by breaking the vicious domino-circle maintaining a chronic disease state. In recent clinical studies, monoclonal antibodies including the anti-interleukin-4 receptor antibody and anti-B cell antibody induced significant clinical improvements in patients with AD. The detailed characteristics of immune dysfunction are heterogeneous among patients with AD. Therefore, a personalized combination of immunomodulatory therapies to reduce hypersensitivity (allergen immunotherapy) and correct immune dysfunction (monoclonal antibody therapy) could be a reasonable therapeutic approach for patients with AD. Future immunomodulatory therapies for AD should be developed to achieve long-term treatment-free clinical remission by induction of immune tolerance.

Effects of Intramuscular Injection of Autologous Immunoglobulin on Clinical Severity and Serum IgE Concentration in Patients with Atopic Dermatitis

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVE

The management of patients with atopic dermatitis (AD) is often difficult for both patients and physicians. We hypothesized that repeated intramuscular injections of autologous immunoglobulin can induce clinical improvement in patients with AD by correcting immune dysfunction.

METHODS

Seventeen adult patients with severe AD were treated by intramuscular injection of 50 mg autologous immunoglobulin (mainly IgG with a purity ≥97%) twice a week for 4 weeks. The standardized clinical severity scoring system for AD (SCORAD) value and serum IgE concentration were measured at baseline and at 4, 8, and 12 weeks.

RESULTS

SCORAD values and serum IgE concentrations significantly decreased at 4, 8, and 12 weeks compared to baseline (p < 0.05). No significant side effects were observed.

CONCLUSIONS

Repeated intramuscular injections of autologous immunoglobulin significantly decreased the clinical severity and serum IgE concentration in patients with severe AD. Further studies are required to evaluate the clinical significance of these findings.