Our main objective is to study the basic immunologic mechanisms underlying the therapeutic effects of a humanized anti-CD40 ligand antibody (anti-CD40L, BG9588) administered into patients with active lupus nephritis. A total of about 120 patients in 28 centers are participating in this randomized, double- blind, controlled, multiple-dose study of anti-CD40L (BG9588) sponsored by Biogen Inc. Molecular interactions between CD40L and CD40 provides essential costimulatory signals for humoral and cellular immune responses. Most remarkably, CD40L is hyperexpressed by lupus T and B cells for abnormally prolonged periods -- thus sustaining the production of pathogenic autoantibodies. Moreover, a brief therapy of three- injections of anti-CD40L in one week into lupus mice prevents the development of nephritis for more than a year. The mechanism of such a long-term benefit, which is equivalent to 3-4 decades in humans, is unknown. This clinical trial provides an unprecedented opportunity to study the effects of anti-CD40L on the human immune system in vivo, particularly on the cells participating in the chronic ongoing autoimmune response in lupus patients. We will study the status of autoimmune T and B cells that are involved in the production of pathogenic anti-nuclear autoantibodies, before, during and after therapy to answer the following questions: I. Are autoimmune T cells, particularly the ones that respond to nucleosomal peptides and drive the production of pathogenic anti-DNA autoantibodies, deleted or anergized in the anti-CD40L treated patients? II. Are autoimmmune B cells of lupus that make pathogenic autoantibodies and are nucleosome-specific, deleted or anergized by anti-CD40L therapy? III. Are regulatory T cells that could suppress autoantibody production, generated by anti-CD40L therapy? We expect to know more about the workings of the normal and lupus immune systems in humans from these studies.

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases (NIAMS)
Type
Research Project (R01)
Project #
5R01AR046309-02
Application #
6137339
Study Section
Special Emphasis Panel (ZRG1-SSS-J (04))
Program Officer
Serrate-Sztein, Susana
Project Start
1999-01-25
Project End
2001-12-31
Budget Start
2000-01-01
Budget End
2000-12-31
Support Year
2
Fiscal Year
2000
Total Cost
$222,965
Indirect Cost
Name
Northwestern University at Chicago
Department
Internal Medicine/Medicine
Type
Schools of Medicine
DUNS #
005436803
City
Chicago
State
IL
Country
United States
Zip Code
60611