Yoko Yokoyama ¹, Ken Fukunaga, Yoshihiro Fukuda, Katsuyuki Tozawa, Koji Kamikozuru, Kunio Ohnishi, Takeshi Kusaka, Tadashi Kosaka, Nobuyuki Hida, Yoshio Ohda, Hiroto Miwa, Takayuki Matsumoto Dig Dis Sci 2007 Oct;52(10):2725-31. doi: 10.1007/s10620-006-9560-z. Epub 2007 Apr 3.

Low-CD25(High+)CD4(+), a subset of regulatory CD25(+)CD4(+) T cells and high-inflammatory CD28(-)CD4(+) T cells can exacerbate ulcerative colitis (UC). This study sought to investigate the frequency of CD25(High+)CD4(+) and CD28(-)CD4(+) T cells in patients with UC and the changes in these cells during Adacolumn granulocyte and monocyte adsorption apheresis (GMA). Subjects were 12 patients with active UC, 11 with quiescent UC, and 14 healthy volunteers (HVs). The mean clinical activity index was 15.7 +/- 2.2 in active UC and 4.5 +/- 1.1 in quiescent UC. Peripheral blood samples were stained with CD4, CD25, and CD28 antibodies for flow cytometry. Patients with active UC received GMA and blood samples were examined before and after the first GMA session. Patients with active UC (P < 0.04) or quiescent UC (P < 0.02) had a higher percentage of CD28(-)D4(+)T cells compared with HVs, while the percentage of CD28(+)CD4(+) T cells was lower in both UC groups compared with HVs (P = 0.03 and P < 0.02). Patients with active UC had a lower percentage of CD25(High+)CD4(+)T cells compared with quiescent UC patients (P < 0.001). A significant increase in CD25(High+)CD4(+) T cells was associated with GMA (P < 0.03). Low CD25(High+)CD4(+) and high CD28(-)CD4(+) are prominent features in UC. The increase in CD25(High+)CD4(+) T cells induced by GMA should contribute to improved immune function. Additional studies are warranted, since a low frequency of CD25(High+)CD4(+) (-) and a high frequency of CD28(-)CD4(+) (-) expressing T cells might be a predictor of clinical response to GMA.

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/17404876/

Takanori Kanai ¹, Toshifumi Hibi, Mamoru Watanabe, Expert Opin Biol Ther. 2006 May;6(5):453-66.

 Ulcerative colitis (UC) and Crohn’s disease (CD) are debilitating idiopathic inflammatory bowel diseases (IBDs) with symptoms that impair ability to function and quality of life. The aetiology of IBD is inadequately understood and, therefore, drug therapy has been empirical instead of based on sound understanding of the disease mechanisms. This has been a major factor for poor drug efficacy and treatment-related side effects that often add to disease complications. The development of biologicals, notably infliximab, to block TNF-alpha reflects some progress, but there is major concern about their side effects and lack of long-term safety and efficacy profiles. However, IBD by its very nature is exacerbated and perpetuated by inflammatory cytokines, including TNF-alpha, IL-6 and IL-12, for which activated peripheral blood lymphocytes, monocytes/macrophages and granulocytes are major sources. Hence, activated leukocytes should be appropriate targets of therapy. At present, three strategies are available for removing excess and activated leukocytes by leukocytapheresis: centrifugation, Adacolumn and Cellsorba. Centrifugation can deplete lymphocytes or total leukocytes, whereas Adacolumn selectively adsorbs granulocytes and monocytes together with a smaller fraction of lymphocytes (FcgammaR- and complement receptor-bearing leukocytes), and Cellsorba non-selectively removes all three major leukocyte populations. Efficacy has ranged from ‘none’ to an impressive 93% together with excellent safety profiles and downmodulation of inflammation factors. Furthermore, leukocytapheresis has shown strong drug-sparing effects and reduced the number of patients requiring colectomy or exposure to unsafe immunosuppressants, such as cyclosporin A. Leukocytapheresis removes from the body cells that contribute to IBD and, therefore, unlike drugs, it is not expected to induce dependency or refractoriness.

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/16610976/

Maria T Abreu ¹, Scott Plevy, Bruce E Sands, Robert Weinstein, J Clin Gastroenterol. Nov-Dec 2007;41(10):874-88.

The etiology of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is not completely understood, thus current therapies have been empirical and directed at treating symptoms rather than addressing the cause. In IBD, the overexpression of proinflammatory cytokines, such as tumor necrosis factor-alpha, interleukin-1beta, interleukin-6, leads to a persistent intestinal inflammatory response that damages the intestinal mucosa. Recent advances in pharmacologic therapies that target specific cytokines, chemokines, and adhesion molecules have proved successful in alleviating symptoms for some patients. There are 2 selective adsorption apheresis devices that remove leukocytes from whole blood, which are currently available in Japan and Europe-the Cellsorba leukocytapheresis column and the Adacolumn adsorptive extracorporeal granulocyte/monocyte apheresis device. The purported mechanisms of action of these devices have been extensively reviewed and are believed to exert an immunomodulatory and/or anti-inflammatory effect on patients with systemic inflammatory disease.The clinical trials presented here indicate that selective leukocyte apheresis effectively removes activated granulocytes and monocytes/macrophages from peripheral blood while maintaining an excellent safety profile. Despite these findings, large controlled trials of selective leukocyte apheresis in the treatment of IBD are needed to determine the true efficacy of this approach.

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/18090155/

Masami Kumagai ¹, Yasuhiko Yamato, Kohji Maeda, Eisuke Nakashima, Kosuke Ushijima, Akihiko Kimura,Pediatr Int. 2007 Aug;49(4):431-6.

Additional studies are needed to determine optimum timing of LCAP or GCAP and initiation of remission-maintenance therapy.

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/17587263/

F J Fernández Pérez ¹, F Rodríguez, C de Sola, N Fernández Moreno, F Vera, R Rivera, A Sánchez Cantos, Rev Esp Enferm Dig. 2007 Nov;99(11):628-35.

Introduction: Granulocytapheresis (GCAP) eliminates activated granulocytes-monocytes from peripheral blood, thus modifying the circulating pool of leukocytes and reducing intestinal inflammation. Objective: To evaluate the efficacy of GCAP in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) using an induction and maintenance protocol. Material and method: A retrospective study including patients with active corticosteroid-dependent or refractory IBD. Induction included 5 sessions in ulcerative colitis (UC) and 7 sessions in Crohn’s disease (CD); one monthly session was used thereafter until week 32. Clinical activity indices and use of corticosteroids were monitored. Results: Eighteen patients were included (10 with UC, 8 with CD), 10 of them dependent on and 8 refractory to corticosteroids. Fourteen of them were refractory and a further 4 were intolerant to immunosuppressants (IS). Induction was not completed in 2 UC (severe relapses) and 1 CD (side-effects) patients. One UC and 3 CD patients withdrew during maintenance. Among patients who completed induction, response or remission was achieved in 87.5% of UC cases (2 and 5 patients) and 71.4% of CD cases (1 and 4 patients), respectively. At week 32 response-remission rates reached 75% in CU (3 and 3 patients) and 42.8% in CD (1 and 2 patients) cases, respectively. Corticosteroid withdrawal was possible in 14.2% of CD and in 62.5% of UC patients (25% in remission and 37.5% with response). There were two major side effects (thrombophlebitis and syncope). No colectomies were performed for UC patients who completed GCAP induction after a mean follow-up of 97.6 weeks (range: 72-128). Conclusions: Both UC and CD respond well to GCAP induction. At 32 weeks UC patients maintain similar response-remission rates (87.5 vs. 75%), whereas almost one-third of CD patients lose response. Granulocytapheresis is an alternative, steroid-sparing treatment modality to induce and maintain remission in UC, while good patient selection and a maintenance protocol not well defined yet are needed for CD.

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/18271660/

)http://www.grupoaran.com/mrmUpdate/lecturaPDFfromXML.asp?IdArt=459857&TO=RVN&Eng=1

Abbi R.Saniabadi, HiroyukiHanai, KenFukunaga, KojiSawada, ChikakoShima, IngvarBjarnason, RobertLofberg, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.transci.2007.08.003

The inference that granulocytes and monocytes/macrophages (GM) are part of the immunopathogenesis of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and hence should be targets of therapy stems from observations of elevated, and activated GM in patients with IBD. The Adacolumn can selectively deplete GM by adsorption (GMA) and in patients with IBD. GMA has been associated with significant clinical efficacy together with sustained suppression of inflammatory cytokine profiles. Additionally, GMA depleted proinflammatory CD14⁺CD16⁺ monocytes and was followed by an increase in CD4⁺ T lymphocytes including the regulatory CD4⁺CD25^high+Foxp3 phenotype. Hence, GMA could be a non-pharmacologic therapy for IBD with potential to spare steroids and other unsafe pharmacologic preparations.

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1473050207001164

Tarja Ruuska, Marja-Leena Lähdeaho, Yelda Sutas, Merja Ashorn, Juhani Grönlund, Scand J Gastroenterol. 2007 Nov;42(11):1390-1.

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/17918012/

M P Martínez Montiel, Rev Esp Enferm Dig. 2007 Nov;99(11):623-7.

To conclude, granulocytapheresis is a well-tolerated immunomodulating therapy with few side effects and good results in the management of corticoid-dependent or resistant UC, naïve patients, and pediatric subjects; it could be even considered during pregnancy. Results are less clear in CD. Some aspects remain to be elucidated, including session number and duration, and a potential maintenance regimen. Pharmacoeconomics studies are necessary to find the proper place for this technique within
IBD treatment algorithms. Therapy strategies will likely be developed in the future that will combine GMCAP with immunosuppressants and/or biological therapies

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/18271659/

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4385558/pdf/WJG-21-4078.pdf

Mamoru Watanabe ¹, Daisuke Kubota, Masakazu Nagahori, Takanori Kanai , Intern Med
. 2007;46(16):1305-6.

Opinion about effectiviness, safety , number of treated patientes and potential indications of LCAP and GMA.

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/17704611/

Lena Oxelmark ¹, Pernilla Hillerås, Axel Dignass, Joachim Mössner, Stefan Schreiber, Wolfgang Kruis, Robert Löfberg, Scand J Gastroenterol. 2007 Mar;42(3):406-7.

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/17354122/