Background: While the number of therapeutic options for treating inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD) is increasing, evidence for rational treatment decisions is scarce in many cases. In particular, appropriate biomarkers to predict the response to the anti-α4β7 integrin antibody vedolizumab are currently lacking.
Methods:We performed a cohort study with 21 patients suffering from ulcerative colitis (UC), in which first-time treatment with vedolizumab was initiated. CD4 + T cells were isolated from the peripheral blood and dynamic adhesion to recombinant mucosal vascular addressin cell adhesion molecule (MAdCAM-)1 in vitro as well as the effect of vedolizumab on such adhesion in vitro was determined. The expression of α4β1 integrin on peripheral blood CD4 + T cells was quantified by flow cytometry. Electronic patient records were reviewed to determine clinical response to vedolizumab.Results: Dynamic adhesion of peripheral blood CD4 + T cells to MAdCAM-1 and the reduction of adhesion following vedolizumab treatment in vitro were higher and the change in α4β1 expression on CD4 + T cells was different in vedolizumab responders and non-responders. Responders could be identified with high specificity and positive-predictive value. Conclusions: Determining dynamic adhesion of CD4 + T cells to MAdCAM-1 and the in vitro response to vedolizumab before treatment initiation or dynamic integrin regulation in the early course of treatment seem to be promising tools to predict the clinical response to vedolizumab therapy. Larger prospective studies are warranted.
Background: The anti-α4β7 integrin antibody vedolizumab is an established therapeutic option for the treatment of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). It has also been successfully used in patients with chronic antibiotic-refractory pouchitis following proctocolectomey with ileal pouch-anal anastomosis. However, the expression and function of gut-homing markers as well as strategies to predict the response to vedolizumab in pouchitis are understudied so far. Methods: We used flow cytometry and dynamic adhesion assays to study the expression and function of gut-homing integrins on T cells from patients with pouchitis and controls as well as longitudinally during therapy of pouchitis with vedolizumab. Moreover, we describe clinical effects of vedolizumab in a cohort of patients with pouchitis. Results: T cells from patients with pouchitis express a specific profile of gut-homing integrins. Integrin α4β7 on T cells from patients with pouchitis mediates adhesion to mucosal addressin cell adhesion molecule (MAdCAM)-1, which can be blocked by vedolizumab in vitro. Vedolizumab efficiently treats pouchitis in a portion of patients and response correlates with dynamic adhesion profiles to MAdCAM-1. Conclusion: Our data suggest that T cell trafficking seems to be important for the pathogenesis of pouchitis and support the therapeutic use of vedolizumab. Integrin function might serve as a biomarker to predict response to vedolizumab.
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