Svetlana Bykovskaia, Russian Federation

Pirogov Russian National Research Medical University Laboratory of Cell Technology and Tissue Regeneration
Professor Svetlana N. Bykovskaia, M.D., Ph.D., 2009-2020 is head of Cell Technologies and Tissue Regeneration Laboratory at Pirogov National Research Medical University in Moscow. Dr Bykovskaia main research area is in the development of novel treatment methods for autoimmune diseases, such as Remitting-Relapsing Multiple Sclerosis, using expanded ex vivo autologous regulatory T cells. Prof. Bykovskaia graduated from the Sechenov, the First Moscow State Medical University, and then studied cytotoxic T lymphocytes mechanisms of interaction with tumor target cells at the Blockin National Medical Cancer Research Center (Moscow) where she later became the head of the Laboratory of Cell Immunology (1985-1995). Dr Bykovskaia worked with Dr. Ronald Herberman, founder of the University of Pittsburgh Cancer Institute and discoverer of NK cells at the UPMC Oncology Center, Pittsburg (1994-2003) Svetlana Bykovskaia studied Dendritic cell antitumor vaccines with professor Walter Storkus. Dr Bykovskaia has been studying the role of human regulatory T cells in autoimmune diseases for the last 15 years. She developed the new cell therapies for autoimmune disorders at the Russian Rheumatology Institute, Moscow, Russia. Dr. Bykovskaya is the CEO “REGENEX” LLC Dr. Bykovskaya is the author of more than 80 scientific publications with high citations.

Presenter of 1 Presentation

 Conference Calendar

TREATMENT OF MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS PATIENTS WITH AUTOLOGOUS REGULATORY T CELLS CD4+CD25+FOXP3+CD127LOW

Session Name
PS48 - MYASTHENIA GRAVIS AND MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS
Session Type
PARALLEL SESSIONS
Date
31.05.2021, Monday
Session Time
13:30 - 15:30
Room
HALL B
Lecture Time
14:50 - 15:10
Presenter
Session Icon
Pre Recorded

Abstract

Background and Aims

Regulatory T cells (Tregs) CD4+CD25+FoxP3+СD127low provide among others regulation of inflammatory reactions by suppressing effector cells. The function and the numbers of Tregs are compromised in patients with Remitting Relapsing Multiple Sclerosis (RRMS). We aimed to determine whether adoptive transfer of expanded ex vivo autologous Tregs (eTregs) into patients with RRMS are safe and tolerable, and if they can restore the patients Treg deficit leading to disease-modifying effects.

Methods

In our study we traced differentiation of eTregs CD4+CD25+FoxP3+СD127low after short-term cultivation of initial CD4+ T cells of 37 RRMS patients. Fourteen patients were injected once with 300 - 450x106 eTregs and followed for 24 weeks.

Results

The resulting cell population consisted of 96,2-98,5% Tregs with increased capacity to suppress proliferation of effector target cells. The RRMS patients injected with Tregs reported minor and only temporary side effects. Two weeks after the cell injection the Treg level in the patients’ peripheral blood samples was elevated with a tendency to slowly decline during the following 2-3 months. The number of relapses was reduced by 76% in the RRMS patients. The expanded Tregs were seen to be twice as active in respect to up-regulation of FOXP3 and Helios genes expression compared to the patients Tregs at time of harvesting.

Conclusions

Infusion of eTregs is safe and feasible leading to a significant reduction in relapse and leading to EDSS stabilization indicating that the method could hold the potential to become a new treatment option for RRMS patients.

Hide