Efficacy of filgrastim therapy for patients with progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy: Two case reports

Progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy (PML) is a life-threatening central nervous system condition caused by reactivation of JC virus in individuals with immunosuppression. Although PML typically develops in patients with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), cases in individuals without HIV have...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Hanako Aoki, Ryunosuke Matsumura, Yoichiro Nishida, Kazuo Nakamichi, Takanori Yokota, Nobuo Sanjo
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Elsevier 2025-09-01
Series:International Journal of Infectious Diseases
Subjects:
Online Access:http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1201971225001742
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1849699334129451008
author Hanako Aoki
Ryunosuke Matsumura
Yoichiro Nishida
Kazuo Nakamichi
Takanori Yokota
Nobuo Sanjo
author_facet Hanako Aoki
Ryunosuke Matsumura
Yoichiro Nishida
Kazuo Nakamichi
Takanori Yokota
Nobuo Sanjo
author_sort Hanako Aoki
collection DOAJ
description Progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy (PML) is a life-threatening central nervous system condition caused by reactivation of JC virus in individuals with immunosuppression. Although PML typically develops in patients with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), cases in individuals without HIV have been increasing in recent years. Non-HIV–associated PML has a particularly poor prognosis, high mortality rates, and few therapeutic options. Here, we present the cases of two patients with non-HIV–, nondrug–associated PML who achieved good clinical outcomes after treatment with filgrastim (granulocyte colony-stimulating factor [G-CSF]). One patient had a diagnosis of Good syndrome, a rare primary immunodeficiency disease, whereas the other presented with lymphopenia and a mild decrease in CD4 T cells. After G-CSF administration, both patients showed decreases in CSF JC virus loads and improvements on magnetic resonance images. Given these findings, we propose that, by stimulating innate immunity and activating anti-JC viral immune surveillance, G-CSF may be useful as an immune-enhancing therapy for patients with non-HIV–associated PML.
format Article
id doaj-art-37e58a6e7cb84bf8bc90cb57cae478ed
institution DOAJ
issn 1201-9712
language English
publishDate 2025-09-01
publisher Elsevier
record_format Article
series International Journal of Infectious Diseases
spelling doaj-art-37e58a6e7cb84bf8bc90cb57cae478ed2025-08-20T03:18:38ZengElsevierInternational Journal of Infectious Diseases1201-97122025-09-0115810795010.1016/j.ijid.2025.107950Efficacy of filgrastim therapy for patients with progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy: Two case reportsHanako Aoki0Ryunosuke Matsumura1Yoichiro Nishida2Kazuo Nakamichi3Takanori Yokota4Nobuo Sanjo5Department of Neurology and Neurological Science, Institute of Science Tokyo hospital, Tokyo, Japan; Corresponding author. Hanako Aoki, Department of Neurology and Neurological Science, Institute of Science Tokyo hospital, 1-5-45 Yushima, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, 113-8519, Japan.Department of Neurology and Neurological Science, Institute of Science Tokyo hospital, Tokyo, JapanDepartment of Neurology and Neurological Science, Institute of Science Tokyo hospital, Tokyo, JapanDepartment of Virology 1, National Institute of Infectious Diseases, Tokyo, JapanDepartment of Neurology and Neurological Science, Institute of Science Tokyo hospital, Tokyo, JapanDepartment of Neurology and Neurological Science, Institute of Science Tokyo hospital, Tokyo, Japan; Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Neurology, Kudanzaka Hospital, Tokyo JapanProgressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy (PML) is a life-threatening central nervous system condition caused by reactivation of JC virus in individuals with immunosuppression. Although PML typically develops in patients with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), cases in individuals without HIV have been increasing in recent years. Non-HIV–associated PML has a particularly poor prognosis, high mortality rates, and few therapeutic options. Here, we present the cases of two patients with non-HIV–, nondrug–associated PML who achieved good clinical outcomes after treatment with filgrastim (granulocyte colony-stimulating factor [G-CSF]). One patient had a diagnosis of Good syndrome, a rare primary immunodeficiency disease, whereas the other presented with lymphopenia and a mild decrease in CD4 T cells. After G-CSF administration, both patients showed decreases in CSF JC virus loads and improvements on magnetic resonance images. Given these findings, we propose that, by stimulating innate immunity and activating anti-JC viral immune surveillance, G-CSF may be useful as an immune-enhancing therapy for patients with non-HIV–associated PML.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1201971225001742FilgrastimG-CSFJC virusProgressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy
spellingShingle Hanako Aoki
Ryunosuke Matsumura
Yoichiro Nishida
Kazuo Nakamichi
Takanori Yokota
Nobuo Sanjo
Efficacy of filgrastim therapy for patients with progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy: Two case reports
International Journal of Infectious Diseases
Filgrastim
G-CSF
JC virus
Progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy
title Efficacy of filgrastim therapy for patients with progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy: Two case reports
title_full Efficacy of filgrastim therapy for patients with progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy: Two case reports
title_fullStr Efficacy of filgrastim therapy for patients with progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy: Two case reports
title_full_unstemmed Efficacy of filgrastim therapy for patients with progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy: Two case reports
title_short Efficacy of filgrastim therapy for patients with progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy: Two case reports
title_sort efficacy of filgrastim therapy for patients with progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy two case reports
topic Filgrastim
G-CSF
JC virus
Progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy
url http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1201971225001742
work_keys_str_mv AT hanakoaoki efficacyoffilgrastimtherapyforpatientswithprogressivemultifocalleukoencephalopathytwocasereports
AT ryunosukematsumura efficacyoffilgrastimtherapyforpatientswithprogressivemultifocalleukoencephalopathytwocasereports
AT yoichironishida efficacyoffilgrastimtherapyforpatientswithprogressivemultifocalleukoencephalopathytwocasereports
AT kazuonakamichi efficacyoffilgrastimtherapyforpatientswithprogressivemultifocalleukoencephalopathytwocasereports
AT takanoriyokota efficacyoffilgrastimtherapyforpatientswithprogressivemultifocalleukoencephalopathytwocasereports
AT nobuosanjo efficacyoffilgrastimtherapyforpatientswithprogressivemultifocalleukoencephalopathytwocasereports