Therapeutic effects of anti-CD154 antibody in cynomolgus monkeys with advanced rheumatoid arthritis

Rheumatoid arthritis is one major chronic inflammatory systemic autoimmune disease. The CD154-CD40 interactions play a critical role in the regulation of immune responses and the maintenance of autoimmunity. Therefore, we aimed to determine whether anti-CD154 antibody treatment show positive effects on immunomodulation and clinical improvement of sustained severe rheumatoid arthritis in cynomolgus monkeys. Arthritis was induced using chicken type II collagen (CII) and arthritic monkey were divided into control and anti-CD154 treatment groups based on their concentrations of anti-CII antibodies on week 7 post-immunization. Blood and tissue samples were collected on week 16 post-immunization. Anti-CD154 antibody treatment improved arthritis and movement, and significantly decreased the numbers of proliferating B cells and the serum levels of anti-type II collagen antibody and sCD154 compared with non-treatment group. Further anti-CD154 antibody treatment significantly decreased the percentage of CD4+ cells and the ratio of CD4+ to CD8+ T cells and significantly increased the percentage of CD8+ cells and effector memory CD8+ cells in peripheral blood. We have shown for the first time in a nonhuman primate model of RA that CD154 blockade has beneficial effects. This study might be valuable as preclinical data of CD154 blockade in nonhuman primate models of severe rheumatoid arthritis.