Featured Publications
Prior cycles of anti-CD20 antibodies affect antibody responses after repeated SARS-CoV-2 mRNA vaccination
Asashima H, Kim D, Wang K, Lele N, Buitrago-Pocasangre N, Lutz R, Cruz I, Raddassi K, Ruff W, Racke M, Wilson J, Givens T, Grifoni A, Weiskopf D, Sette A, Kleinstein S, Montgomery R, Shaw A, Li F, Fan R, Hafler D, Tomayko M, Longbrake E. Prior cycles of anti-CD20 antibodies affect antibody responses after repeated SARS-CoV-2 mRNA vaccination. JCI Insight 2023, 8: e168102. PMID: 37606046, PMCID: PMC10543713, DOI: 10.1172/jci.insight.168102.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsSARS-CoV-2 mRNA vaccinationB-cell-depleted patientsB-cell depletionAntibody responseMRNA vaccinationThird doseCell depletionT cellsClaude D. Pepper Older Americans Independence CenterB cellsNational Multiple Sclerosis SocietyAnti-CD20 antibodySpike-specific antibodiesMultiple Sclerosis SocietyLow cumulative exposureLogistic regression modelsImportant clinical needCD20 therapyCD20 treatmentMost patientsThird vaccineSerologic responseVaccine dosesMRNA vaccinesVaccination strategies
2025
Alterations in Gut Microbiome-Host Relationships After Immune Perturbation in Patients With Multiple Sclerosis
Gupta V, Janda G, Pump H, Lele N, Cruz I, Cohen I, Ruff W, Hafler D, Sung J, Longbrake E. Alterations in Gut Microbiome-Host Relationships After Immune Perturbation in Patients With Multiple Sclerosis. Neurology Neuroimmunology & Neuroinflammation 2025, 12: e200355. PMID: 39819054, PMCID: PMC11741292, DOI: 10.1212/nxi.0000000000200355.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsAmplicon sequence variantsIgA-coatedGut microbiomeBacterial fractionRRNA gene amplicon sequencingLong-read sequencingGut microbial symbiontsGene amplicon sequencingMultiple sclerosisStool samplesProportion of bacteriaB cellsHost-microbial interfaceAnti-CD20 monoclonal antibody treatmentDiagnosing MSMicrobial symbiontsIgA-secreting B cellsTaxonomic resolutionSequence variantsAmplicon sequencingB-cell depletionFecal microbiotaMonths of treatmentMonoclonal antibody treatmentDevelopment of autoimmunity
2023
Microfluidic Immuno‐Serolomic Assay Reveals Systems Level Association with COVID‐19 Pathology and Vaccine Protection
Kim D, Biancon G, Bai Z, VanOudenhove J, Liu Y, Kothari S, Gowda L, Kwan J, Buitrago‐Pocasangre N, Lele N, Asashima H, Racke M, Wilson J, Givens T, Tomayko M, Schulz W, Longbrake E, Hafler D, Halene S, Fan R. Microfluidic Immuno‐Serolomic Assay Reveals Systems Level Association with COVID‐19 Pathology and Vaccine Protection. Small Methods 2023, 7: e2300594. PMID: 37312418, PMCID: PMC10592458, DOI: 10.1002/smtd.202300594.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsB cell depletion therapyAcute COVID infectionAnti-spike IgGHigh-risk patientsCoronavirus disease-19COVID-19 pathologyDepletion therapyVaccine protectionAntibody responseCOVID infectionHematologic malignanciesImmune protectionDisease-19Healthy donorsMultiple time pointsSerology assaysBlood samplesSoluble markersB cellsImmunization strategiesPatientsFunctional deficiencySerological analysisTime pointsClonotype diversity
2022
Impaired TIGIT expression on B cells drives circulating follicular helper T cell expansion in multiple sclerosis
Asashima H, Axisa PP, Pham THG, Longbrake EE, Ruff WE, Lele N, Cohen I, Raddassi K, Sumida TS, Hafler DA. Impaired TIGIT expression on B cells drives circulating follicular helper T cell expansion in multiple sclerosis. Journal Of Clinical Investigation 2022, 132: e156254. PMID: 36250467, PMCID: PMC9566906, DOI: 10.1172/jci156254.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsRelapsing-remitting multiple sclerosisMemory B cellsCTfh cellsB cellsTIGIT expressionMultiple sclerosisT cellsFollicular helper T cellsHealthy age-matched controlsB-cell depletionT cell expansionHelper T cellsAge-matched controlsB cell functionB-cell pathwayDifferential gene expression signaturesTfh cellsDisease activityGene expression signaturesCell depletionCD40 ligandTranscription factor TCF4Disease pathogenesisImmune systemNew MRI
2020
B Cells, T Cells and Inflammatory CSF Biomarkers in Primary Progressive MS and Relapsing MS in the OBOE (Ocrelizumab Biomarker Outcome Evaluation) Trial (1635)
Bar-Or A, Bennett J, Von Budingen H, Carruthers R, Edwards K, Fallis R, Fiore D, Gelfand J, Giacomini P, Greenberg B, Hafler D, Longbrake E, Assman B, Ionete C, Kaunzner U, Lock C, Ma X, Musch B, Pardo G, Pei J, Piehl F, Weber M, Ziemssen T, Herman A, Harp C, Cross A. B Cells, T Cells and Inflammatory CSF Biomarkers in Primary Progressive MS and Relapsing MS in the OBOE (Ocrelizumab Biomarker Outcome Evaluation) Trial (1635). Neurology 2020, 94 DOI: 10.1212/wnl.94.15_supplement.1635.Peer-Reviewed Original Research
2016
Effect of Multiple Sclerosis Disease-Modifying Therapies on B Cells and Humoral Immunity
Longbrake EE, Cross AH. Effect of Multiple Sclerosis Disease-Modifying Therapies on B Cells and Humoral Immunity. JAMA Neurology 2016, 73: 1-7. PMID: 26720195, DOI: 10.1001/jamaneurol.2015.3977.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsDisease-modifying therapiesB cell immunityB cellsMultiple sclerosisAnti-inflammatory cytokine interleukin-10B-cell-depleting agentsMultiple Sclerosis Disease-Modifying TherapiesMost disease-modifying therapiesCytokine interleukin-10Memory B cellsB cell functionB-cell phenotypeB cell expressionB cell productionNaive B cellsMagnetic resonance imagingB cell precursorsClinical courseTherapeutic trialsInterleukin-10Proinflammatory cytokinesHumoral immunityClinical activityTherapeutic interventionsResonance imaging
2015
Dimethyl fumarate selectively reduces memory T cells in multiple sclerosis patients
Longbrake E, Ramsbottom M, Cantoni C, Ghezzi L, Cross A, Piccio L. Dimethyl fumarate selectively reduces memory T cells in multiple sclerosis patients. Multiple Sclerosis Journal 2015, 22: 1061-1070. PMID: 26459150, PMCID: PMC4829494, DOI: 10.1177/1352458515608961.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsDMF-treated patientsMemory T cellsMultiple sclerosis patientsT cellsMS patientsDendritic cellsSclerosis patientsEffector memory T cellsUntreated MS patientsMyeloid dendritic cellsAbsolute lymphocyte countPlasmacytoid dendritic cellsNatural killer cellsNaïve T cellsMechanism of actionLymphocyte countLymphopenic patientsRegulatory cellsKiller cellsPeripheral bloodImmune cellsHealthy controlsPatientsB cellsFlow cytometry
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