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Introduction: Several published results have established variations in respect to plasma/serum macrophage migration inhibitory factor (MIF) levels and gene polymorphisms with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). This study gave a more concise estimation on the MIF levels for SLE patients and established the association between MIF polymorphisms and SLE.Material and Methods: All articles were searched from PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, Wan-Fang, Chinese Biological Medical Literature, and China National Knowledge Infrastructure up to 6th October 2017, with no language restriction. Pooled standard mean difference with 95% confidence interval was evaluated using random effect model. Thirteen articles were used for this meta-analysis, with 620 SLE patients and 779 healthy controls assessed for MIF levels, and 2,159 SLE patients and 2,574 healthy controls considered for MIF-173 C/G and MIF-794 CATT polymorphisms.Results: There was a significant higher MIF levels in SLE patients than in healthy controls (p = 0.004). The subgroup analysis showed Asians and ages < 30 had higher MIF levels in SLE patients than in healthy controls. It was evident that patients with systemic lupus erythematosus diseases activity index scores < 8 and ≥ 8, and disease duration for both year < 5 and ≥ 5 of SLE had higher MIF levels when compared to healthy controls. We found a significant association between SLE and MIF-173 C/G, but not MIF-794 CATT.Conclusions: This study provided evidence of significant higher MIF levels in SLE patients and supported the association of MIF-173 C/G and SLE. However, we were not able to establish an association between MIF-794 CATT and SLE. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To explore the association of adiponectin (AD) and adiponectin receptor (ADR) gene single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) with genetic susceptibility to rheumatoid arthritis (RA) in a Chinese population.Study Design: Five AD SNPs (rs266729, rs2241766, rs1063537, rs2082940 and rs1063539) and two ADR SNPs (rs7539542 and rs12342) were genotyped in a cohort of 617 patients with RA and 639 healthy controls. Seven SNPs were genotyped using TaqMan genotyping assays on the Fluidigm 192.24 system. The concentration of AD in plasma was examined by ELISA.Results: Patients with RA showed a considerably lower plasma level of AD than healthy controls (p=0.002). No significant differences were observed for the distribution of allele and genotype frequencies of rs266729, rs2241766, rs2082940, rs1063539, rs7539542 and rs12342 SNPs between patients with RA and controls. The genotype effects of recessive and dominant models were also analysed, but no marked evidence for association was found. However, further analysis in female patients with RA showed that the frequency of the AD gene rs1063539 GG genotype was nominally significantly higher in patients who were anti-cyclic citrullinated peptide (anti-CCP) antibody-positive (p=0.040). No significant differences in serum AD level were observed in patients with RA with different genotypes.Conclusions: rs266729, rs2241766, rs2082940 and rs1063539 in the AD gene and rs7539542 and rs12342 in the ADR gene are possibly not associated with genetic susceptibility to RA, but the AD gene rs1063539 locus was possibly associated with anti-CCP in RA female patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose Of the Study: Increasing numbers of studies show that interleukin (IL)-10 plays a key role in the pathogenesis of autoimmune diseases including rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and acts as an immunomodulatory cytokine. The purpose of the present study was to analyse the relationship between gene single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the IL-10 gene and RA susceptibility.Study Design: We genotyped three SNPs (rs1800890, rs3024495, rs3024505) of the IL-10 gene in a Chinese population of 354 RA patients and 367 controls. Genotyping was conducted using TaqMan SNP genotyping assays. Plasma IL-10 levels were measured by ELISA.Results: The A allele of the rs1800890 variant was significantly related to decreased risk for RA compared with the T allele (A vs T: OR 0.580, 95% CI 0.345 to 0.975, P=0.038). No significant association between the genotype distribution of these SNPs and RA susceptibility was detected. The genotype effect of the dominant model was also evaluated, but no statistical difference was found. Further analysis in RA patients demonstrated that none of these SNPs were associated with rheumatoid factor (RF) or anti-citrullinated protein antibody (anti-CCP). In addition, no significant differences in plasma IL-10 levels were observed among RA patients with different genotypes.Conclusions: The IL-10 rs1800890 variant might contribute to RA susceptibility in the Chinese population. Replication studies in different ethnic groups are required to further examine the critical role of IL-10 gene variation in the pathogenesis of RA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective. A recent genome-wide association study identified that genetic variants in DPP4 and CCR6 are connected with a risk of RA in the Han Chinese population. The aim of this study was to estimate the epistatic interaction between DPP4 and CCR6 in RA. Methods. Two single-nucleotide polymorphisms identified in a Han Chinese genome-wide association study (rs12617656 in DPP4, rs1854853 in CCR6) were genotyped. Logistic regression was used to estimate the multiplicative interaction and the additive interaction was analysed by 2 x 2 factorial design. Results. A total of 1224 subjects (377 RA patients, 847 healthy controls) were included in the initial analysis. Additionally, 600 patients with lupus arthritis were included for comparison. Significant multiplicative interaction between DPP4 and CCR6 was observed in RA [codominant model: odds ratio (OR) = 1.49, P = 0.003]. The epistatic effect seems to be stronger in ACPA-positive RA (codominant model: OR = 1.66, P = 0.001). However, no significant multiplicative interactions were observed in ACPA-negative RA or lupus arthritis. Additive interaction analysis showed a significant epistatic effect, but only in ACPA-positive RA [attributable proportion due to interaction = 0.48 (95% CI 0.10, 0.85)]. A further replication study of an independent cohort (476 subjects) found similar results. Pooled results confirmed that there was significant interaction between DPP4 and CCR6 on both the multiplicative and additive scales. Conclusion. The study suggests that a genetic interaction between DPP4 and CCR6 is involved in RA susceptibility. Furthermore, these findings highlight Th17 cell response as an important contributor in the pathogenesis of RA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Several confirmed genetic susceptibility loci involved in the interferon signaling and Th17/B cell response for SLE in Chinese Han populations have been described. Available data also indicate that sex-specific genetic differences contribute to SLE susceptibility. The aim of this study was to test for gene-gene/gene-sex epistasis (interactions) in these known lupus susceptibility loci. Six single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in MiR146a, IRF5, IKZF1, ETS1 and IL21 were genotyped by Sequenom MassArray system. A total of 1,825 subjects (858 SLE patients and 967 controls) were included in the final analysis. Epistasis was tested by additive model, multiplicative model and multifactor dimensionality reduction (MDR) method. Additive interaction analysis revealed interactions between IRF5 and IKZF1 (OR 2.26, 95% CI 1.48-3.44 [P = 1.21×104]). A similar tendency was also observed between IL21 and ETS1 by parametric methods. In addition, multiple high dimensional gene-gene or gene-sex interactions (three-and four-way) were identified by MDR analysis. Our study identified novel gene-gene/gene-sex interactions in lupus. Furthermore, these findings highlight sex, interferon pathway, and Th17/B cells as important contributors to the pathogenesis of SLE. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aims to investigate the clinical and laboratory features of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) patients associated with Sjögren syndrome (SS) in China, as well as its similarities to and differences from SLE patients without SS. A group of 542 consecutive unselected SLE patients was recruited. Diagnosis of SLE was made according to 1997 revised American College of Rheumatology SLE criteria; SS was diagnosed using the American–European classification criteria. Clinical and laboratory parameters in SLE patients with SS (SLE-SS) were compared with those in SLE patients without SS (SLE-no SS). Overall, SS was identified in 35 SLE patients (6.5%); the onset of SS preceded the development of SLE in 17 of them (48.6%). Compared with the SLE-no SS group (35.8 ± 10.5 years), patients with SLE-SS (41.3 ± 11.6 years) were significantly older ( P = 0.003), had a higher frequency of anti-Ro/SSA, anti-La/SSB, and anti-dsDNA antibodies, but had a significantly lower frequency of renal involvement. This study demonstrates that SLE-SS may be a subgroup of patients with characteristic clinical and laboratory features. To improve the treatment outcomes in SLE-SS patients, more specific treatment should be applied based on those factors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigates the prevalence and clinical and laboratory features of patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) associated with TB in Chinese patients, as well as its similarities to and differences from patients without TB. Our results show that SLE patients with TB (SLE-TB) might be a subgroup of patients with distinct clinical and laboratory features. Therefore, specific treatment should be given in order to provide a better outcome for SLE-TB patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aims to explore the epidemiological characteristics of scarlet fever in Hefei City, China, and to provide a scientific basis for the prevention and control of the disease. A total of 731 cases were recruited from 2004 to 2008. The average incidence was 3.159 per 100,000 population. Our results indicated that the major risk factors for scarlet fever were: gender (male); age (3^6 years); time of disease onset (March to June); and area of residence (urban areas). Knowledge of these factors could help clinicians to provide the appropriate interventions for scarlet fever. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]