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HLA-DRB1*1501 and response to copolymer-1 therapy in relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis

From the Servizio Immunoematologia e Trasfusione (Drs. Fusco, Pace, and Macri), Divisione di Neurologia A.O.R.N. (Drs. Andreone, Florio, and Vivo), A. Cardarelli, Napoli; Dipartimento di Scienze Neurologiche (Drs. Coppola, Lanzillo, and Orefice), Università Federico II, Napoli; Laboratorio di Biologia e Unità Sclerosi Multipla (Drs. Guerini and Mini), Fondazione Don C. Gnocchi ONLUS, IRCCS, Milan; Dipartimento di Scienze Precliniche, Università di Milano (Dr. Ferrante); and Oncologia Sperimentale C-Immunologia (Drs. Luongo, Pirozzi, and Lombardi), Istituto Nazionale Tumori, Napoli, Italy.

Address correspondence and reprint requests to Dr. Maria Luisa Lombardi, Via Raffaele Calvanico 13, 80131 Napoli, Italy; e-mail: mllombardi{at}yahoo.com

Background:— Copolymer 1 (Cop-1) is a random synthetic amino acid copolymer, effective in the treatment of the relapsing-remitting form of MS (RRMS). In vitro and in vivo studies suggest that the mechanism of Cop-1 involves its binding to major histocompatibility complex class II molecules as an initial step.

Objective:— To assess a possible relationship between human leukocyte antigen (HLA) alleles and response to Cop-1 therapy.

Methods:— Eighty-three patients with RRMS, 44 treated with Cop-1 and 39 with interferon ß-1a (IFNß-1a) for 2 years, were typed by molecular methods for HLA class II genes and subgrouped according to clinical outcome.

Results:— Data have shown a possible positive correlation between presence of DRB1*1501 and response to Cop-1 therapy (p = 0.008). No relationship between HLA alleles and therapy has been found in IFNß-1a treated patients.

Conclusions:— Results suggest that DRB1*1501 might be relevant for the clinical outcome in Cop-1 treated patients and, if confirmed in larger studies, it could be helpful in the selection of RRMS patients for different therapeutic options.

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