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Abstract Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a chronic rheumatic disorder. Endothelin-1, a vasoconstrictor, belongs to the endothelin family and is associated with vascular-related damages. To date, association between ET-1 and pathogenesis of SLE remains unclear. This case–control study was carried out by 314 SLE, 252 non-SLE diseases patients and 500 healthy controls. Serum ET-1, CCN3, IL-28B levels were detected by ELISA, and ET-1 gene polymorphisms (rs5369, rs5370, rs1476046, rs2070699, rs2071942, rs2071943, rs3087459, rs4145451, rs6458155, rs9369217) were genotyped with Kompetitive Allele-Specific PCR. SLE patients had high levels of ET-1, which were correlated with some clinical, laboratory features. Serum CCN3, IL-28B levels were higher in SLE patients, and ET-1 levels were positively correlated with the two cytokines. Rs5370, rs1476046, rs2070699, rs2071942, rs2071943, rs3087459, rs6458155 and rs2070699 were associated with SLE risk. Rs2070699 (T, TT) was related to SLE patients with alopecia. Rs5370 (T, TT, TG), rs1476046 (G,GA), rs2071942 (G,GA) and rs2071943 (G,GA) were associated with SLE patients with pericarditis, pyuria and fever manifestation, respectively. Rs3087459 (CC) and rs9369217 (TC) were related to SLE patients with positive anti-SSB antibody. Rs5369 (AA) was associated with IgG and CRP levels in SLE patients. In conclusion, elevated serum ET-1 in SLE patients may be a potential disease marker, and its gene polymorphisms were related to SLE susceptibility.

Interleukin-27 (IL-27) is a member of the IL-12 family. The gene encoding IL-27 is located at chromosome 16p11. IL-27 is considered as a heterodimeric cytokine, which consists of Epstein–Barr virus (EBV)-induced gene 3 (Ebi3) and IL-27p28. Based on the function of IL-27, it binds to receptor IL-27rα or gp130 and then regulates downstream cascade. To date, findings show that the expression of IL-27 is abnormal in different inflammatory autoimmune diseases (including systemic lupus erythematosus, rheumatoid arthritis, Sjogren syndrome, Behcet’s disease, inflammatory bowel disease, multiple sclerosis, systemic sclerosis, type 1 diabetes, Vogt–Koyanagi–Harada, and ankylosing spondylitis). Moreover, in vivo and in vitro studies demonstrated that IL-27 is significantly in3volved in the development of these diseases by regulating innate and adaptive immune responses, playing either an anti-inflammatory or a pro-inflammatory role. In this review, we comprehensively summarized information about IL-27 and autoimmunity based on available evidence. It is hoped that targeting IL-27 will hold great promise in the treatment of inflammatory autoimmune disorders in the future.

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is an inflammatory disorder related to immunity dysfunction. The Th1 cell family including Th1 cells, transcription factor T-bet, and related cytokines IFNγ, TNFα, IL-2, IL-18, TGF-β, and IL-12 have been widely discussed in autoimmunity, such as SLE. In this review, we will comprehensively discuss the expression profile of the Th1 cell family in both SLE patients and animal models and clarify how the family members are involved in lupus development. Interestingly, T-bet-related age-associated B cells (ABCs) and low-dose IL-2 treatment in lupus were emergently discussed as well. Collection of the evidence will better understand the roles of the Th1 cell family in lupus pathogenesis, especially targeting IL-2 in lupus.

Endophilin is an evolutionarily conserved family of protein that involves in a range of intracellular membrane dynamics. This family consists of five isoforms, which are distributed in various tissues. Recent studies have shown that Endophilin regulates diseases pathogenesis, including neurodegenerative diseases, tumors, cardiovascular diseases, and autoimmune diseases. In vivo, it regulates different biological functions such as vesicle endocytosis, mitochondrial morphological changes, apoptosis and autophagosome formation. Functional studies confirmed the role of Endophilin in development and progression of these diseases. In this study, we have comprehensively discussed the complex function of Endophilin and how the family contributes to diseases development. It is hoped that this study will provide new ideas for targeting Endophilin in diseases.

Hypoxia-inducible factor-1α (HIF-1α) is a primary metabolic sensor, and is expressed in different immune cells, such as macrophage, dendritic cell, neutrophil, T cell, and non-immune cells, for instance, synovial fibroblast, and islet β cell. HIF-1α signaling regulates cellular metabolism, triggering the release of inflammatory cytokines and inflammatory cells proliferation. It is known that microenvironment hypoxia, vascular proliferation, and impaired immunological balance are present in autoimmune diseases. To date, HIF-1α is recognized to be overexpressed in several inflammatory autoimmune diseases, such as systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), rheumatoid arthritis, and function of HIF-1α is dysregulated in these diseases. In this review, we narrate the signaling pathway of HIF-1α and the possible immunopathological roles of HIF-1α in autoimmune diseases. The collected information will provide a theoretical basis for the familiarization and development of new clinical trials and treatment based on HIF-1α and inflammatory autoimmune disorders in the future.

Abstract Uric acid is a powerful antioxidant. However, its elevated levels in association with cardiovascular diseases predispose individuals to cognitive impairment. Uric acid’s effects on cognition may be related to its concentration and exposure period. We aimed to explore the effects of long-term elevated serum uric acid on cognitive function and hippocampus. Rats were randomly divided into four groups: NC, M1, M2 and M3 groups. Hyperuricemia was established in rats at week 6 and maintained until week 48 in groups M1, M2 and M3. The rats’ spatial learning and memory abilities were assessed by the Morris Water Maze test at weeks 0, 6, 16, 32, and 48. After week 48, we observed pathological changes in right hippocampal CA1 and CA3 regions, and measured levels of oxidative stress, inflammatory cytokines, and β-amyloid peptide of left hippocampus. Starting from week 6, the serum uric acid level of M3 group > M2 group, the serum uric acid level of M2 group > M1 group, and the serum uric acid level of M1 group > NC group. The rats in M3 and M2 groups had longer escape latencies, longer mean distances to the platform, more extensive pathological damage, stronger inflammation response, higher oxidative stress and β-amyloid peptide levels than those in NC group. No significant differences were observed between M1 and NC groups. In addition, we also found that oxidative stress significantly correlated with tumour necrosis factor-α and β-amyloid peptide. Long-term elevated serum uric acid was significantly associated with cognitive impairment risk. Oxidative stress, tumour necrosis factor-α and β-amyloid peptide may mediate the pathogenesis of the cognitive impairment induced by uric acid. The detrimental effect of elevated serum uric acid on cognitive function was probably expressed when the serum uric acid concentration reached a certain level.

TL1A, also called TNFSF15, is a member of tumor necrosis factor family. It is expressed in different immune cell, such as monocyte, macrophage, dendritic cell, T cell and non-immune cell, for example, synovial fibroblast, endothelial cell. TL1A competitively binds to death receptor 3 or decoy receptor 3, providing stimulatory signal for downstream signaling pathways, and then regulates proliferation, activation, apoptosis of and cytokine, chemokine production in effector cells. Recent findings showed that TL1A was abnormally expressed in autoimmune diseases, including rheumatoid arthritis, inflammatory bowel disease, psoriasis, primary biliary cirrhosis, systemic lupus erythematosus and ankylosing spondylitis. In vivo and in vitro studies further demonstrated that TL1A was involved in development and pathogenesis of these diseases. In this study, we comprehensively discussed the complex immunological function of TL1A and focused on recent findings of the pleiotropic activity conducted by TL1A in inflammatory autoimmune disease. Finish of the study will provide new ideas for developing therapeutic strategies for these diseases by targeting TL1A.

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a rheumatic disease. Growth differentiation factor 15 (GDF-15) is a member of transforming growth factor-β superfamily. To date, association of GDF-15 with SLE pathogenesis is not clarified. This study discussed GDF-15 serum levels and gene polymorphisms in SLE patients and lupus mouse model further demonstrated the role of GDF-15 in lupus development. We conducted two independent case-control studies for SLE patients. One is to evaluate serum levels of GDF-15 in 54 SLE patients and 90 healthy controls, and the other one is to analyze gene polymorphisms of GDF-15 in 289 SLE patients and 525 healthy controls. Serum levels of GDF-15 were detected by ELISA. GDF-15 gene polymorphisms (rs1055150, rs1058587, rs1059519, rs1059369, rs1227731, rs4808793, and rs16982345) were genotyped by the Kompetitive Allele-Specific PCR (KASP) method. Addition of recombinant GDF-15 into pristane-induced lupus mice evaluated histological and serological changes. Results showed that serum levels of GDF-15 were overexpressed in SLE patients and associated with disease activity. Polymorphisms rs1055150, rs1059369, rs1059519, and rs4808793 of GDF-15 gene were related to SLE risk. Lupus mice showed splenomegaly, severe histological scores, and high levels of autoantibodies [antinuclear antibodies (ANA) and total immunoglobulin G (IgG)], whereas administration of GDF-15 into lupus mice reduced the histological changes. Percentages of CD8+, CD11b+, CD19+, CD11C+ cells, TH2 cells, and pro-inflammatory cytokines (IL-1β, IL-2, IL-4, IL-21, and IL-22) were reduced after GDF-15 treatment in lupus mice. In conclusion, GDF-15 was related to lupus pathogenesis and inhibited lupus development.

Abstract This study aimed to discuss association between serum Angiopoietin2 (Ang2) levels, Ang2 gene polymorphisms and systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) susceptibility. It was carried out by 235 SLE, 342 other inflammatory autoimmune diseases patients and 380 healthy individuals. Serum Ang2 levels was examinated by ELISA, and Ang2 rs12674822, rs1823375, rs1868554, rs2442598, rs3739390 and rs734701 polymorphisms were genotyped using KASP. Increased Ang2 concentrations in SLE patients were observed compared with healthy controls and patients with other inflammatory autoimmune diseases. For allelic contrast, except for rs1823375 (P = 0.058) and rs2442598 (P = 0.523), frequencies of alleles for other polymorphisms were significantly different between SLE patients and controls. Genotypes for rs12674822 (TT), rs1868554 (TT, TA and TT+TA), rs734701 (TT) were negatively correlated with SLE susceptibility (OR = 0.564 for rs12674822; OR = 0.572, OR = 0.625, OR = 0.607 for rs1868554; OR = 0.580 for rs734701). Patients carrying rs1868554 T allele and rs3739390 G allele were more likely to develop hematuria (P = 0.039; P = 0.003). The G allele frequencies of rs12674822 and rs2442598 were higher in SLE patients with proteinuria (P = 0.043; P = 0.043). GC genotype frequency of rs3739390 was higher in patients with ds-DNA (+) (P = 0.024). In summary, SLE had increased serum Ang2, which may be a potential biomarker, and the polymorphisms correlated with SLE.

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and rheumatoid arthritis (RA) are complex autoimmune diseases. CD40 participates in inflammatory response, and promotes fibroblast proliferation, leading to occurrence and progression of SLE, RA. This study explores CD40 gene polymorphisms in SLE and RA patients from a Chinese Han population. Two hundred SLE patients, 340 RA patients, and 900 healthy controls were enrolled. Genomic DNA was extracted from peripheral blood, and six polymorphisms of CD40 gene (rs3765456, rs1569723, rs73115010, rs13040307, rs1883832, and rs4810485) were detected by KASP method. Frequencies of rs1569723 genotypes AA, AC, AA+AC were significantly higher in RA patients as compared to those in healthy controls (P = 0.049, P = 0.024, P = 0.022). Frequencies of genotypes CT, CC+CT of rs1883832, and GT, GG+GT of rs4810485 were significantly higher in RA patients as compared to those in healthy controls (P = 0.012, P = 0.018, P = 0.009, P = 0.015). RA patients carrying rs13040307 C allele and rs73115010 T allele showed increased number of swollen joints. Moreover, frequency of allele T of rs13040307 was lower in SLE patients with positive anti-dsDNA and hematuria as compared to that in patients without these parameters (P = 0.038, P = 0.045). There were increased frequencies of genotype TT, allele T for rs13040307 and lower frequencies of genotype TT, allele T for rs73115010 in lupus patients with myositis (all P

Interleukin (IL)-36 is a member of the IL-1 superfamily and includes three agonists (IL-36α, IL-36β, and IL-36γ) and an antagonist (IL-36Ra). IL-36 agonists bind to heterodimeric receptor complexes. Then, the heterotrimer complexes signal via intracellular functional domains, binding to downstream signaling proteins and inducing inflammatory responses. In this review, we summarized the current knowledge about the biological role of IL-36 and its correlation with systemic inflammatory diseases. The information collected will help to increase the understanding of the potential of IL-36 and may give clues for developing novel therapeutic strategies.

Interleukin (IL)-38 is the newest member of the IL-1 family. It can bind to several receptors, regulate the generation, function of inflammatory cytokines through the downstream signaling pathways. IL-38 is expressed in several tissues, such as placenta, heart, and brain. It is involved in a wide variety of diseases, including chronic inflammatory diseases. In this review, we discuss the expression and biological functions of IL-38, especially the role in rheumatic autoimmune diseases. Collection of the information may improve the understanding of IL-38, and may give potential for theoretical basis for clinical trials and drug development in the future.

In this study, we selected the Basomtso Lake in Xizang, China, as the research object, and utilized 16S rDNA Illumina high-throughput sequencing technology to investigate differences in the composition and structure of bacterial community across different locations and waters within Basomtso Lake. Our aim was to explore the correlation between environmental factors and the bacterial community in Basomtso Lake. Analysis of 16S rDNA gene sequences yielded a total of 5570 valid OTUs. with annotation revealing 88 phyla, 180 classes, 349 orders, 481 families, and 694 genera. The results showed that Proteobacteria, Bacteroidota, and Actinobacteria were the dominant phyla, while Candidatus_Aquirestis, hgcI_clade, and unidentified_MethylacidipHilaceae were the dominant genera. Redundancy analyses showed that temperature, dissolved oxygen, and biochemical oxygen demand exerted significant effects on changes in the bacterial community structure in the water bodies of the Basomtso Lake. Molecular ecological network analysis showed that Ascomycetes, Actinobacteria, and Bacteroidetes as key nodes in the network construction, with 94.5% of edges displaying positive correlations. In summary, the bacterial resources in the Basomtso Lake are rich and diversified, closely related to environmental factors. Interactions among bacterial communities in Basomtso Lake are predominatly synergistic. This study provides an important theoretical foundation for the development and utilization of bacterial diversity in Basomtso Lake. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Backgrounds There is little evidence on the safety, efficacy, and survival benefit of restarting immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICI) in patients with cancer after discontinuation due to immune-related adverse events (irAEs) or progressive disease (PD). Here, we performed a meta-analysis to elucidate the possible benefits of ICI rechallenge in patients with cancer. Methods Systematic searches were conducted using PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane Library databases. The objective response rate (ORR), disease control rate (DCR), progression-free survival (PFS), overall survival (OS), and incidence of irAEs were the outcomes of interest. Results Thirty-six studies involving 2026 patients were analyzed. ICI rechallenge was associated with a lower incidence of all-grade (OR, 0.05; 95%CI, 0.02-0.13, P  < .05) and high-grade irAEs (OR, 0.37; 95%CI, 0.21-0.64, P  < .05) when compared with initial ICI treatment. Though no significant difference was observed between rechallenge and initial treatment regarding ORR (OR, 0.69; 95%CI, 0.39-1.20, P  = .29) and DCR (OR, 0.85; 95%CI, 0.51-1.40, P  = 0.52), patients receiving rechallenge had improved PFS (HR, 0.56; 95%CI, 0.43-0.73, P  < .05) and OS (HR, 0.55; 95%CI, 0.43-0.72, P  < .05) than those who discontinued ICI therapy permanently. Subgroup analysis revealed that for patients who stopped initial ICI treatment because of irAEs, rechallenge showed similar safety and efficacy with initial treatment, while for patients who discontinued ICI treatment due to PD, rechallenge caused a significant increase in the incidence of high-grade irAEs (OR, 4.97; 95%CI, 1.98-12.5, P  < .05) and a decrease in ORR (OR, 0.48; 95%CI, 0.24-0.95, P  < .05). Conclusion ICI rechallenge is generally an active and feasible strategy that is associated with relative safety, similar efficacy, and improved survival outcomes. Rechallenge should be considered individually with circumspection, and randomized controlled trials are required to confirm these findings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Aim: The purpose of the current study was to investigate the predictive value of hepatitis B core‐related antigen (HBcrAg) on the occurrence and recurrence of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in patients with chronic hepatitis B (CHB). Methods: We searched PubMed, Embase, Scopus, and Web of Science from database inception to April 6, 2023. Pooled hazard ratio (HR) or odds ratio (OR) with 95% confidence interval (CI) was calculated for the occurrence and recurrence of HCC. Results: Of the 464 articles considered, 18 articles recruiting 10 320 patients were included. The pooled results showed that high serum HBcrAg level was an independent risk factor for the occurrence of HCC in CHB patients (adjusted HR = 3.12, 95% CI: 2.40–4.06, P < 0.001, I2 = 43.2%, P = 0.043; OR = 5.65, 95% CI: 3.44–5.82, P < 0.001, I2 = 0.00%, P = 0.42). Further subgroup analysis demonstrated that the predictive ability of HBcrAg for the occurrence of HCC is not influenced by the hepatitis B e antigen (HBeAg) status or the use of nucleoside/nucleotide analogs (NAs). In addition, our meta‐analysis also suggests that HBcrAg is a predictor of HCC recurrence (adjusted HR = 1.71, 95% CI: 1.26–2.32, P < 0.001, I2 = 7.89%, P = 0.031). Conclusions: For patients with CHB, serum HBcrAg may be a potential predictive factor for the occurrence of HCC, regardless of HBeAg status or NA treatment. It may also serve as a novel prognostic biomarker for the recurrence of HCC. More studies are needed to confirm our conclusions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]