Annals of Oncology Advance Access published online on April 11, 2008
Annals of Oncology, doi:10.1093/annonc/mdn163
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Neutrophil role in in vivo anti-lymphoma activity of rituximab: FCGR3B-NA1/NA2 polymorphism does not influence response and survival after rituximab treatment
1 EA3853, Immuno-Pharmaco-Génétique des Anticorps Thérapeutiques, Université François Rabelais, Tours
2 INSERM U847, Biothérapies des cellules souches normales et cancéreuses and Service d'Hématologie et Biothérapies, CHU Lapeyronie, Montpellier
3 Service d'Hématologie, Hospices Civiles de Lyon, Université Claude Bernard, Lyon
4 Department of Hématologie, Centre Jean-Bernard, Le Mans
5 Service d'Hématologie et Thérapie Cellulaire, CHU Bretonneau, Tours, France
* Correspondence to: Dr G. Cartron, Service d'Hématologie Clinique, CHU Lapeyronie, 191 avenue du doyen Gaston Giraud 34295 Montpellier, France. Tel: +33 4 67 33 83 62; Fax: +33 4 67 33 91 94; E-mail: guillaume.cartron{at}med.univ-tours.fr
Background: Neutrophils could play an important role in in vivo rituximab anti-lymphoma activity. Fc
RIIIb is expressed only by neutrophils and Fc
RIIIb-neutrophil antigen (NA)1/NA2 polymorphism influenced phagocytosis of immunoglobulin G1-opsonized particles. We formulated the hypothesis that if neutrophils are critical cells for in vivo rituximab activity, Fc
RIIIb-NA1/NA2 polymorphism could influence the response to rituximab.
Patients and methods: FCGR3B-NA1/NA2 genotypes were determined in 46 patients having received rituximab for a previously untreated, follicular, non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. The clinical response and the disappearance of the BCL2-JH gene rearrangement in both peripheral blood and bone marrow were evaluated at 2 months (M2) and each year during 7 years.
Results: They were 13% homozygous for FCGR3B-NA1, 61% homozygous for FCGR3B-NA1/NA2 and 26% heterozygous. The objective response rates at M2 were 67% in homozygous FCGR3B-NA1 patients compared with 75% in homozygous FCGR3B-NA2 and 75% in heterozygous patients (not significant). We found no difference for progression-free and overall survival by FCGR3B-NA1/NA2 genotypes.
Conclusion: These results indicate no association between FCGR3B-NA1/NA2 polymorphism and response to rituximab indicating no significant role of phagocytosis mediated by neutrophils in in vivo mechanism of rituximab activity.
Fc
RIIIb, follicular lymphoma, neutrophils, rituximab
Received for publication January 5, 2008. Revision received February 9, 2008. Accepted for publication March 18, 2008.