The Effect of Alemtuzumab on the Blood-brain-barrier and the Brain's Metabolism in Multiple Sclerosis Patients

Traditional paraclinical measures of disease severity in multiple sclerosis (MS), such as T2 lesion load as measured by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), are poorly correlated with long-term disability accumulation. Other surrogate markers of the current and future disease burden are therefore needed. The permeability of the blood-brain-barrier (BBB) seems to better reflect the substantial, subclinical disease activity underlying MS progression. Its useful role as a prognostic marker in MS has been clearly established by the recent observation that BBB permeability increase in optic neuritis patients is associated with conversion to definite MS. BBB permeability can be quantified, in a convenient manner to the patient, using Dynamic-Contrast-Enhanced Magnetic Resonance Imaging (DCE-MRI) by modelling the change in intrinsic MRI parameters of the human brain in response to the administration of a bolus contrast agent. Alemtuzumab is a disease modifying drug that depletes T- and B-cells. It is administered in two series separated by 12 months, as explained in the section "Groups and Interventions." The number of relapses are significantly reduced as compared to other efficacious treatments in MS, as demonstrated recently (study referred to by its ClinicalTrials.gov identifier NCT00050778). The efficacy of alemtuzumab in resolving the inflammatory burden underlying relapses is, thus, well-established. Its influence on subclinical inflammation, however, remains unknown. It is the aim of the present study to investigate whether or not the latter influence is of importance, and, consequently, can be used to evaluate the need for an intensified treatment, in the form of an additional series of alemtuzumab administration. BBB permeability changes, as surrogate markers of subclinical inflammation, are measured every 6 months just prior to and during the course of alemtuzumab treatment. In order to elucidate other potential mechanisms involved in disability accumulation, biomarkers and MRI-derived parameters are evaluated concomitantly. Specifically, the role of metabolic changes are investigated using MRI methods that measures blood perfusion and oxygen consumption. Secondarily, the BBB permeability and metabolic changes are correlated to novel biomarkers of inflammation and neurodegeneration in serum and urine, as well as conventional measures of MS severity: annual relapse rate, Expanded Disability Severity Score, MRI-derived estimates of disease activity and brain atrophy. 35 patients are included in the study in order to achieve enough statistical power and accommodate drop-outs. Patients are MRI scanned at baseline, 6 months after alemtuzumab treatment, and, finally, prior to administration of the second series of alemtuzumab 12 months after the baseline MRI scanning. At each time point, the patient's disease status is evaluated by an experienced neurologist, and urine and serum samples are obtained. Repeated Measures Analysis Of Variance (ANOVA) will be used to evaluate changes of permeability of the BBB and metabolic parameters at different time points, and baseline characteristics, such as prednisolone treatment will be implemented as between-subjects covariates. Logistic regression will be applied to estimate the ability of BBB permeability changes to predict the need for additional series of alemtuzumab administration.