Review
Medicine, General & Internal
Napoleon Bellua Sam, Shi-Yang Guan, Peng Wang, Xiao-Mei Li, De-Guang Wang, Hai-Feng Pan, Dong-Qing Ye
Summary: This study revealed significantly higher MIF levels in SLE patients compared to healthy controls, with Asians and younger patients showing even higher MIF levels. The association between SLE and MIF-173 C/G was supported, while no significant relationship was found between MIF-794 CATT and SLE.
ARCHIVES OF MEDICAL SCIENCE
(2021)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Rosario Caltabiano, Rocco De Pasquale, Eliana Piombino, Giorgia Campo, Ferdinando Nicoletti, Eugenio Cavalli, Katia Mangano, Paolo Fagone
Summary: Discoid Lupus Erythematosus (DLE) is a chronic cutaneous disease with unknown etiology and immunoinflammatory origin. Macrophage migration inhibitory factor (MIF) and D-dopachrome tautomerase (DDT) may play key roles in autoimmune diseases and certain forms of cancers. The expression of MIF and DDT in normal skin and DLE lesions varies, suggesting a potential protective role in skin inflammation.
Review
Immunology
Mariame Mohamed Ahamada, Yang Jia, Xiaochuan Wu
Summary: Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is an autoimmune disease that primarily affects adults, especially females and non-Caucasian individuals. Despite numerous studies on SLE, the exact pathogenesis remains unclear and there is no specific drug for effective treatment. The involvement of macrophages in the development of SLE is increasingly recognized, suggesting a potential for macrophage-centered therapeutic approaches.
FRONTIERS IN IMMUNOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Immunology
Melissa Northcott, Linden J. Gearing, Julie Bonin, Rachel Koelmeyer, Alberta Hoi, Paul J. Hertzog, Eric F. Morand
Summary: The effects of medication on gene module expression in SLE patients are significant, emphasizing the need to control for medication exposure in studies of gene expression in SLE.
FRONTIERS IN IMMUNOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Fuensanta Gomez-Bernal, Yolanda Fernandez-Cladera, Juan Carlos Quevedo-Abeledo, Maria Garcia-Gonzalez, Agustin F. Gonzalez-Rivero, Antonia De Vera-Gonzalez, Candelaria Martin-Gonzalez, Miguel A. Gonzalez-Gay, Ivan Ferraz-Amaro
Summary: This study analyzed the relationship between VEGF and sVEGFR with SLE disease-related features and found that serum levels of VEGF and sVEGFR in SLE patients were associated with disease damage, with musculoskeletal manifestations being the most commonly associated feature.
Article
Rheumatology
Maya Gerstein, R. Ezequiel Borgia, Daniela Dominguez, Brian M. Feldman, Fangming Liao, Deborah M. Levy, Lawrence Ng, Mohamed Abdelhaleem, Earl D. Silverman, Linda T. Hiraki
Summary: The study aimed to differentiate macrophage activation syndrome (MAS) from active childhood-onset systemic lupus erythematosus (cSLE) and generated decision rules based on clinical and laboratory features. Recursive partitioning identified serum ferritin as the best discriminator between MAS and non-MAS patients. Validation in independent cohorts is needed to confirm the findings.
JOURNAL OF RHEUMATOLOGY
(2021)
Review
Immunology
Paul Curtiss, Amanda M. Walker, Benjamin F. Chong
Summary: This study reviewed patient cohorts and populations to investigate the progression of cutaneous lupus to systemic lupus. The study found variations in the progression rates between adult and pediatric groups, which were attributed to differences in patient populations, study design, diagnostic criteria, and follow-up time. Risk factors associated with the development of systemic lupus included positive anti-nuclear antibodies, hematologic abnormalities, and a higher number of lupus classification criteria at baseline.
FRONTIERS IN IMMUNOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Virology
Alperen Aksakal, Bugra Kerget, Ferhan Kerget, Seda Askin
Summary: The study revealed the correlation between serum migration inhibitory factor (MIF) level and disease severity in COVID-19, with higher MIF levels potentially indicating a more severe condition. MIF levels can serve as an important predictive indicator for early disease prognosis in COVID-19.
JOURNAL OF MEDICAL VIROLOGY
(2021)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Wook-Young Baek, Yang-Seon Choi, Sang-Won Lee, In-Ok Son, Ki-Woong Jeon, Sang-Dun Choi, Chang-Hee Suh
Summary: Toll-like receptors (TLRs) play a crucial role in the innate immune system, with studies showing their regulatory effects on immune and inflammatory diseases. A TLR inhibitor peptide (TIP1) was found to suppress downstream signaling mediated by TIR domain-containing adapters, suggesting its potential as a candidate for treating systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE).
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2021)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Juan Cai, Lin Huang, Hongri Tang, Hongling Xu, Lingjun Wang, Minghui Zheng, Hongsong Yu, Hui Liu
Summary: The MIF produced by Thelazia callipaeda can induce M2-like macrophage polarization through TLR4-mediated activation of the PI3K-Akt pathway, potentially aiding in disrupting the host immune system.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Mauro Vasella, Stefan Wolf, Eamon C. Francis, Gerrit Grieb, Pablo Pfister, Gregory Reid, Juergen Bernhagen, Nicole Lindenblatt, Epameinondas Gousopoulos, Bong-Sung Kim
Summary: Lipedema is a chronic disorder mainly affecting women, with an unknown etiology. Recent research suggests that the accumulation and polarization of macrophages may be involved in lipedema. This study provides evidence for the potential involvement of the MIF family, specifically the MIF-1-CD74 axis, in lipedema.
Article
Immunology
Haiping Xing, Haiyu Pang, Tian Du, Xufei Yang, Jing Zhang, Mengtao Li, Shuyang Zhang
Summary: In this study, atherosclerotic risk prediction model was built for SLE patients using RNA sequencing and differential expression analysis. The model, incorporating one gene and two clinical factors, demonstrated relatively high discrimination and calibration performance, providing valuable assistance for identifying atherosclerosis in SLE patients, especially asymptomatic ones.
FRONTIERS IN IMMUNOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Fuensanta Gomez-Bernal, Juan Carlos Quevedo-Abeledo, Maria Garcia-Gonzalez, Yolanda Fernandez-Cladera, Agustin F. Gonzalez-Rivero, Antonia de Vera-Gonzalez, Candelaria Martin-Gonzalez, Miguel A. Gonzalez-Gay, Ivan Ferraz-Amaro
Summary: This study aimed to investigate the relationship between serum levels of transforming growth factor beta 1 (TGF-β1) and disease characteristics, activity, damage, or severity in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). The results showed that TGF-β1 serum levels were associated with disease severity and activity, with ocular and cardiovascular manifestations positively correlated, while gastrointestinal and musculoskeletal involvements negatively correlated with circulating TGF-β1 levels.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Ji Ae Kim, Ye Young Kim, Seung Hak Lee, Chul Jung, Mi Hee Kim, Dae Yul Kim
Summary: The macrophage migration inhibitory factor (MIF) exerts a neuroprotective effect, facilitating neurological recovery and protecting brain tissue from ischemic injury in an in vivo model of ischemic stroke.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2022)
Review
Oncology
Kaichi Kaneko, Hao Chen, Matthew Kaufman, Isaak Sverdlov, Emily M. Stein, Kyung-Hyun Park-Min
Summary: Osteonecrosis is a complex and devastating complication of systemic lupus erythematosus, with variable prevalence in SLE patients. The use of high-dose glucocorticoid therapy is strongly associated with the development of osteonecrosis in SLE patients, although the exact pathophysiology and risk factors for osteonecrosis in this population are not fully understood.
CLINICAL AND TRANSLATIONAL MEDICINE
(2021)
Article
Biochemical Research Methods
Annelies Emmaneel, Katrien Quintelier, Dorine Sichien, Paulina Rybakowska, Concepcion Maranon, Marta E. Alarcon-Riquelme, Gert Van Isterdael, Sofie Van Gassen, Yvan Saeys
Summary: PeacoQC is an automated quality control algorithm for cleaning cytometry data, utilizing density peaks per channel to filter out low quality events. Compared to other quality control algorithms, PeacoQC excels in cleaning flow, mass, and spectral cytometry data, achieving the highest median balanced accuracy and similar running time, with better scalability for large files.
Article
Rheumatology
George C. Drosos, Daisy Vedder, Eline Houben, Laura Boekel, Fabiola Atzeni, Sara Badreh, Dimitrios T. Boumpas, Nina Brodin, Ian N. Bruce, Miguel Angel Gonzalez-Gay, Soren Jacobsen, Gyorgy Kerekes, Francesca Marchiori, Chetan Mukhtyar, Manuel Ramos-Casals, Naveed Sattar, Karen Schreiber, Savino Sciascia, Elisabet Svenungsson, Zoltan Szekanecz, Anne-Kathrin Tausche, Alan Tyndall, Vokko van Halm, Alexandre Voskuyl, Gary J. Macfarlane, Michael M. Ward, Michael T. Nurmohamed, Maria G. Tektonidou
Summary: This study developed recommendations for cardiovascular risk management in rheumatic and musculoskeletal diseases, emphasizing the importance of regular screening and management of modifiable CVR factors as well as patient education. The recommendations covered CVR prediction tools, interventions on traditional CVR factors, and interventions on disease-related CVR factors.
ANNALS OF THE RHEUMATIC DISEASES
(2022)
Article
Rheumatology
Sindhu R. Johnson, Dafna D. Gladman, Hermine Brunner, David Isenberg, Ann E. Clarke, Megan R. W. Barber, Laurent Arnaud, Paul R. Fortin, Marta Mosca, Alexandre E. Voskuyl, Susan Manzi, Cynthia Aranow, Anca Askanase, Graciela S. Alarcon, Sang-Cheol Bae, Nathalie Costedoat-Chalumeau, Jessica A. English, Guillermo J. Pons-Estel, Bernardo A. Pons-Estel, Rebecca Gilman, Ellen M. Ginzler, John G. Hanly, Soren Jacobsen, Kenneth Kalunian, Diane L. Kamen, Chynace Lambalgen, Alexandra Legge, S. Sam Lim, Anselm Mak, Eric F. Morand, Christine A. Peschken, Michelle Petri, Anisur Rahman, Rosalind Ramsey-Goldman, John A. Reynolds, Juanita Romero-Diaz, Guillermo Ruiz-Irastorza, Jorge Sanchez-Guerrero, Elisabet Svenungsson, Zahi Touma, Murray Urowitz, Evelyne Vinet, Ronald F. van Vollenhoven, Heather Waldhauser, Daniel J. Wallace, Asad Zoma, Ian N. Bruce
Summary: The SLICC, ACR, and Lupus Foundation of America are developing a revised SLE damage index (SDI) due to shifts in the concept of damage in SLE. A qualitative study was conducted to evaluate contemporary constructs in SLE damage and develop a conceptual framework for the revised SDI.
ARTHRITIS CARE & RESEARCH
(2023)
Review
Immunology
Marta E. Alarcon-Riquelme
Summary: The present review describes the main research works on gene expression analysis of kidney tissue samples in lupus nephritis patients. While most studies have used gene expression arrays to understand the mechanisms behind lupus nephritis, it is not sufficient to study the detailed cellular and molecular patterns. Recent advancements in single cell RNA sequencing provide a new perspective in understanding the changes that occur in lupus nephritis.
ARCHIVUM IMMUNOLOGIAE ET THERAPIAE EXPERIMENTALIS
(2022)
Article
Rheumatology
Sahwa Elbagir, Lina-Marcela Diaz-Gallo, Giorgia Grosso, Agneta Zickert, Iva Gunnarsson, Michael Mahler, Elisabet Svenungsson, Johan Ronnelid
Summary: HLA-DRB1 alleles are associated with thrombosis and production of aPL in SLE patients. HLA-DRB1*13 increases the risk of aPS-PT production and thrombosis, while HLA-DRB1*03 is associated with reduced thrombotic events and favorable lipid levels in aPL-positive SLE patients.
Article
Rheumatology
Oscar Plunde, Elisabet Svenungsson, Giulia Ferrannini, Anders Franco-Cereceda, Magnus Back
Summary: The study revealed that antiphospholipid antibodies (aPL) are more common in calcific aortic valve stenosis (CAVS) patients in the general population. The positivity of aPL was associated with altered aortic valve transcriptomics related to interferon pathways. Further research is needed to establish aPL as a possible risk marker and/or causal factor for CAVS and to explore new precision therapeutic targets.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Guillermo Barturen, Elena Carnero-Montoro, Manuel Martinez-Bueno, Silvia Rojo-Rello, Beatriz Sobrino, Oscar Porras-Perales, Clara Alcantara-Dominguez, David Bernardo, Marta E. Alarcon-Riquelme
Summary: This study investigates the role of DNA methylation in COVID-19 progression using genome-wide DNA methylation analysis and DNA genotyping. The results reveal the epigenomic regulation of functional pathways associated with COVID-19 progression mediated by genetic loci. The study also identifies an environmental trait-related signature that discriminates between mild and severe cases and regulates the expression of cytokines, including IL-6.
NATURE COMMUNICATIONS
(2022)
Article
Medicine, General & Internal
J. J. Shin, W. Fanr, J. Par-Youngs, M. Piecychna, L. Leng, K. Israni-Winger, H. Qing, J. Gu, H. Zhao, W. L. Schulz, S. Unlu, J. Kuster, G. Young, J. Liu, A. Ko, A. Baeza Garcia, M. Sauler, A. Wisnewski, L. Young, A. Orduna, A. Wang, K. Ocskay, A. Garcia-Blesa, P. Hegyi, M. E. Armstrong, P. D. Mitchell, D. Bernardo, A. Garami, I Kang, R. Bucala
Summary: This study found that the high-expression MIF CATT(7) allele was less frequent in COVID-19 patients compared to healthy controls, but more frequent in hospitalized patients compared to outpatients. In addition, hospitalized COVID-19 patients had higher serum MIF levels compared to outpatients and uninfected healthy controls. Experimental mice with a high-expression MIF allele showed more severe disease than those with a low-expression MIF allele. Therefore, the polymorphism of the MIF gene is associated with susceptibility to COVID-19 and disease severity.
QJM-AN INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MEDICINE
(2023)
Article
Rheumatology
Wei Fan, Jennefer Par-Young, Kaiyan Li, Yi Zhang, Pingping Xiao, Li Hua, Lin Leng, Xuyan Chen, Richard Bucala
Summary: This retrospective study aimed to describe the clinical profiles and high-risk indicators of primary Sjogren's syndrome (pSS) patients with central nervous system (CNS) involvement (pSS-CNS). The study found that the prevalence of CNS involvement in pSS patients was 10.2%, with neurological manifestations as the initial symptom in 31.3% of the cases. Hemiparesis, paraparesis, dysphonia, blurred vision, and dysfunctional proprioception were common manifestations in pSS-CNS patients. Cerebral infarction, demyelination, myelitis, and angiostenosis were commonly found on imaging in these patients. Lung involvement, positive anti-SSA antibody test, and reduced C3 levels were identified as potential risk factors for CNS involvement in pSS. High-dose glucocorticoids and immunosuppressive therapy were effective in improving the condition in 60% of pSS-CNS patients.
CLINICAL RHEUMATOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Cell Biology
Shaojing Ye, Dlovan F. D. Mahmood, Fei Ma, Lin Leng, Richard Bucala, Pedro L. Vera
Summary: Activation of intravesical protease activated receptors-4 (PAR4) leads to bladder pain through the release of urothelial macrophage migration inhibitory factor (MIF) and high mobility group box-1 (HMGB1). This study aimed to identify the downstream signaling events of HMGB1 at the bladder that cause HMGB1-induced bladder pain in MIF-deficient mice. The results showed that HMGB1 increased urothelial oxidative stress and ERK activation, which mediated bladder pain. Pre-treatment with N-acetylcysteine amide (NACA) or selective ERK1/2 inhibitor (FR) prevented HMGB1-induced bladder pain.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Yiheng Huang, Donghong Cui, Liujun Chen, Haibin Tong, Hong Wu, Grace K. Muller, Yadan Qi, Shuxia Wang, Jinjie Xu, Xiang Gao, Kathleen E. Fifield, Lingyan Wang, Zhengyuan Xia, Jacqueline L. Vanderluit, Suixin Liu, Lin Leng, Guang Sun, John McGuire, Lawrence H. Young, Richard Bucala, Dake Qi
Summary: This study reports a non-inflammatory adipose mechanism of high fat-induced insulin resistance mediated by the loss of Pref-1. Pref-1, released from adipose Pref-1+ cells, inhibits MIF release from both Pref-1+ cells and adipocytes. High palmitic acid induces PAR2 expression in Pref-1+ cells, downregulating Pref-1 expression and release in an AMPK-dependent manner. The loss of Pref-1 increases adipose MIF secretion contributing to non-inflammatory insulin resistance in obesity.
Article
Rheumatology
Linnea Karlsson, Agneta Zickert, Elisabet Svenungsson, Jan Schmidt-Mende, Francesca Faustini, Iva Gunnarsson
Summary: This study retrospectively analyzed the histopathological findings of first-time kidney biopsies in 139 SLE patients. The results showed that 88.5% of the patients had histopathological findings consistent with lupus nephritis, while 11.5% had other renal diseases. These findings highlight the importance of kidney biopsy in diagnosing and managing inflammatory renal diseases.
CLINICAL RHEUMATOLOGY
(2023)
Editorial Material
Rheumatology
Elena Carnero-Montoro, Marta E. Alarcon-Riquelme
Summary: The rarity of vasculitis and other rheumatic diseases makes it challenging to study their genetics and evaluate treatments. New approaches like joint genetic analyses and drug repurposing may offer opportunities to understand these diseases better, identify new therapies, and conduct basket clinical trials.
NATURE REVIEWS RHEUMATOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Allergy
Lourdes Ortiz-Fernandez, Javier Martin, Marta E. Alarcon-Riquelme
Summary: Systemic lupus erythematosus, systemic sclerosis, rheumatoid arthritis, and Sjogren's syndrome are major autoimmune rheumatic diseases with complex etiologies influenced by environmental and genetic factors. The HLA region is the strongest susceptibility factor for these conditions, and non-HLA risk genetic variants have also been discovered.
CLINICAL REVIEWS IN ALLERGY & IMMUNOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Rheumatology
Lina-Marcela Diaz-Gallo, Vilija Oke, Emeli Lundstrom, Kerstin Elvin, Yee Ling Wu, Susanna Eketjall, Agneta Zickert, Johanna T. Gustafsson, Andreas Jonsen, Dag Leonard, Daniel J. Birmingham, Gunnel Nordmark, Anders A. Bengtsson, Lars Ronnblom, Iva Gunnarsson, Chack-Yung Yu, Leonid Padyukov, Elisabet Svenungsson
Summary: Our study identified four distinct subgroups among patients with SLE based on autoantibody profiles, which differ in associations with HLA-DRB1 alleles and immunological and clinical features, indicating diverse disease pathways.
ACR OPEN RHEUMATOLOGY
(2022)