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Updated: May 25, 2026

Experimental Infection with Listeria monocytogenes as a Model for Studying Host Interferon-γ Responses
Published on: November 16, 2016
Immunogenic effects of recombinant interferon-beta therapy disrupt the JAK/STAT pathway in primary immune cells from
S Gavasso1, Bt Gjertsen, E Anderssen
1Department of Neurology, Haukeland University Hospital, Bergen, Norway. gavasso@yahoo.com
Background:
Immunogenicity of recombinant interferon-β (IFN-β) is a known complication in the therapy of relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS). Neutralizing antibodies (NAbs) that can interfere with efficacy are quantified using in vitro bioassays; however, these assays do not reveal the immunogenic state of the patient and are not predictive of treatment outcome.
Objective:
Assessment of the impact of NAbs on IFN-β responsive cells and signalling pathways in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) with phospho-specific flow cytometry.
Method:
PBMCs from 10 IFN-β-treated patients with RRMS, two untreated patients, and two healthy controls were re-stimulated in autologous sera and media with a serial dilution of IFN-β (0-8000 U/ml) and levels of phosphorylation of STAT1/3/4/5/6 transcription factors were quantified in PBMC subtypes (NAb titres 0 to > 6000 neutralizing units). Data was subjected to principal component analysis, Hotelling's T (2), and partial least squares analysis.
Results:
Three significantly distinct clusters of individuals were revealed in autologous sera: therapy-naïve and healthy, treated NAb-negative, and treated NAb-positive. Compared with controls STATs signalling patterns were modulated in treated NAb-negative patients and inhibited in all treated NAb-positive patients independently of NAb titres. In media no clustering of patients could be found. The predictability of NAb titres based on the phospho-flow data was 74%.
Conclusion:
Phospho-specific flow cytometry can delineate subset-specific cell responses that can act as surrogates for NAb exposure in blood. Immunogenic effects alter the response in primary cells even at low NAb levels. Cell line-based immunogenicity testing is not readily transferable to the immunogenic response in patients.
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