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Bellocchi C, Assassi S, Lyons M, Marchini M, Mohan C, Santaniello A, Beretta L. Proteomic aptamer analysis reveals serum markers that characterize preclinical systemic sclerosis (SSc) patients at risk for progression toward definite SSc. Arthritis Res Ther 2023; 25:15. [PMID: 36707842 PMCID: PMC9881382 DOI: 10.1186/s13075-023-02989-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/11/2022] [Accepted: 01/04/2023] [Indexed: 01/28/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The study of molecular mechanisms characterizing disease progression may be relevant to get insights into systemic sclerosis (SSc) pathogenesis and to intercept patients at very early stage. We aimed at investigating the proteomic profile of preclinical systemic sclerosis (PreSSc) via a discovery/validation two-step approach. METHODS SOMAcan aptamer-based analysis was performed on a serum sample of 13 PreSSc (discovery cohort) according to 2001 LeRoy and Medsger criteria (characterized solely by Raynaud phenomenon plus a positive nailfold capillaroscopy and SSc-specific antibodies without any other sign of definite disease) and 8 healthy controls (HCs) age, gender, and ethnicity matched. Prospective data were available up to 4±0.6 years to determine the progression to definite SSc according to the EULAR/ACR 2013 classification criteria. In proteins with relative fluorescence units (RFU) > |1.5|-fold vs HCs values, univariate analysis was conducted via bootstrap aggregating models to determine the predicting accuracy (progression vs non-progression) of categorized baseline protein values. Gene Ontologies (GO terms) and Reactome terms of significant proteins at the adjusted 0.05 threshold were explored. Significant proteins from the discovery cohort were finally validated via ELISAs in an independent validation cohort of 50 PreSSc with clinical prospective data up to 5 years. Time-to-event analysis for interval-censored data was used to evaluate disease progression. RESULTS In the discovery cohort, 286 out of 1306 proteins analyzed via SomaScan, were differentially expressed versus HCs. Ten proteins were significantly associated with disease progression; analysis through GO and Reactome showed differentially enriched pathways involving angiogenesis, endothelial cell chemotaxis, and endothelial cell chemotaxis to fibroblast growth factor (FGF). In the validation cohort, endostatin (HR=10.23, CI95=2.2-47.59, p=0.003) was strongly associated with disease progression, as well as bFGF (HR=0.84, CI95=0.709-0.996, p=0.045) and PAF-AHβ (HR=0.372, CI95=0.171-0.809, p=0.013) CONCLUSIONS: A distinct protein profile characterized PreSSc from HCs and proteins associated with hypoxia, vasculopathy, and fibrosis regulation are linked with the progression from preclinical to definite SSc. These proteins, in particular endostatin, can be regarded both as markers of severity and molecules with pathogenetic significance as well as therapeutic targets.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chiara Bellocchi
- Department of Clinical Sciences and Community Health, University of Milan, Milan, Italy.,Scleroderma Unit, Referral Center for Systemic Autoimmune Diseases, Fondazione IRCCS Ca' Granda, Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Milan, Italy
| | - Shervin Assassi
- Department of Internal Medicine - Rheumatology, University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Marka Lyons
- Department of Internal Medicine - Rheumatology, University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Maurizio Marchini
- Department of Clinical Sciences and Community Health, University of Milan, Milan, Italy.,Scleroderma Unit, Referral Center for Systemic Autoimmune Diseases, Fondazione IRCCS Ca' Granda, Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Milan, Italy
| | - Chandra Mohan
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Houston, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Alessandro Santaniello
- Scleroderma Unit, Referral Center for Systemic Autoimmune Diseases, Fondazione IRCCS Ca' Granda, Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Milan, Italy
| | - Lorenzo Beretta
- Scleroderma Unit, Referral Center for Systemic Autoimmune Diseases, Fondazione IRCCS Ca' Granda, Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Milan, Italy.
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Dyball S, Rodziewicz M, Mendoza-Pinto C, Bruce IN, Parker B. Predicting progression from undifferentiated connective tissue disease to definite connective tissue disease: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Autoimmun Rev 2022; 21:103184. [PMID: 36031048 DOI: 10.1016/j.autrev.2022.103184] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/14/2022] [Accepted: 08/21/2022] [Indexed: 11/02/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE Undifferentiated connective tissue disease (UCTD) encapsulates a broad range of conditions including incomplete forms of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and systemic sclerosis (SSc), some of whom progress to a formal clinical diagnosis over time. This systematic review (SR) and meta-analysis aimed to identify clinical and laboratory features and biomarkers that can predict progression of UCTD. METHODS A systematic literature search was carried out on MEDLINE, EMBASE and the Cochrane Central Register of Randomized Controlled Trials. Abstracts and full-text manuscripts were screened by two reviewers. Publications were included if they included at least 20 UCTD patients, a minimum of six months of follow up, and provided data on at least one risk factor for developing a defined CTD. The QUIPS tool was used to assess risk of bias (RoB) and GRADE for grading the quality of the evidence. The study is registered with PROSPERO (ID: CRD42021237725). RESULTS Fifty-nine studies were included in the SR, and forty-one in the meta-analysis. The predictors for progression to SLE with the highest certainty of evidence included those with younger age (MD -5.96 [-11.05-0.87 years]), serositis (RR 2.69 [1.61-4.51]), or the presence of anti-dsDNA antibodies (RR 4.27 [1.92-9.51]). For SSc, the highest certainty of evidence included puffy fingers (RR [3.09 [1.48-6.43]), abnormal nailfold changes (NFC) (avascular areas [RR 5.71 (3.03-10.8)] or active or late SSc pattern [RR 2.24 (1.25-4.01)] and anti-topoisomerase-I (RR 1.83 [1.45-2.30]). No novel biomarkers were included in the meta-analysis; however HLA molecules, regulatory T cell shift, pro-inflammatory cytokines and complement activation products were identified as potential predictors for evolution of disease. CONCLUSIONS Clinical and immunological parameters may predict which patients with UCTD progress to definitive disease; however, the heterogeneous nature and RoB in most studies limits the ability to apply these results in routine clinical practice. Limited data suggest that some novel biomarkers may provide additional predictive value but these will need larger well designed studies to fully delineate their clinical utility.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah Dyball
- Centre for Epidemiology Versus Arthritis, Division of Musculoskeletal and Dermatological Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, University of Manchester, Manchester Academic Health Science Centre, Stopford Building, Oxford Road, Manchester, UK
| | - Mia Rodziewicz
- Centre for Epidemiology Versus Arthritis, Division of Musculoskeletal and Dermatological Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, University of Manchester, Manchester Academic Health Science Centre, Stopford Building, Oxford Road, Manchester, UK
| | - Claudia Mendoza-Pinto
- Centre for Epidemiology Versus Arthritis, Division of Musculoskeletal and Dermatological Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, University of Manchester, Manchester Academic Health Science Centre, Stopford Building, Oxford Road, Manchester, UK; Systemic Autoimmune Diseases Research Unit Specialties Hospital UMAE-CIBIOR, Mexican Social Security Institute, Puebla, Mexico
| | - Ian N Bruce
- National Institute for Health Research Manchester Biomedical Research Centre, Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust, The University of Manchester, Manchester, UK
| | - Ben Parker
- National Institute for Health Research Manchester Biomedical Research Centre, Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust, The University of Manchester, Manchester, UK.
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Ünlü B, Türsen Ü, Rajabi Z, Jabalameli N, Rajabi F. The Immunogenetics of Systemic Sclerosis. The Immunogenetics of Dermatologic Diseases 2022. [DOI: 10.1007/978-3-030-92616-8_10] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
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4
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Shen CY, Lu CH, Wu CH, Li KJ, Kuo YM, Hsieh SC, Yu CL. Molecular Basis of Accelerated Aging with Immune Dysfunction-Mediated Inflammation (Inflamm-Aging) in Patients with Systemic Sclerosis. Cells 2021; 10:cells10123402. [PMID: 34943909 PMCID: PMC8699891 DOI: 10.3390/cells10123402] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/11/2021] [Revised: 11/17/2021] [Accepted: 11/30/2021] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Systemic sclerosis (SSc) is a chronic connective tissue disorder characterized by immune dysregulation, chronic inflammation, vascular endothelial cell dysfunction, and progressive tissue fibrosis of the skin and internal organs. Moreover, increased cancer incidence and accelerated aging are also found. The increased cancer incidence is believed to be a result of chromosome instability. Accelerated cellular senescence has been confirmed by the shortening of telomere length due to increased DNA breakage, abnormal DNA repair response, and telomerase deficiency mediated by enhanced oxidative/nitrative stresses. The immune dysfunctions of SSc patients are manifested by excessive production of proinflammatory cytokines IL-1, IL-6, IL-17, IFN-α, and TNF-α, which can elicit potent tissue inflammation followed by tissue fibrosis. Furthermore, a number of autoantibodies including anti-topoisomerase 1 (anti-TOPO-1), anti-centromere (ACA or anti-CENP-B), anti-RNA polymerase enzyme (anti-RNAP III), anti-ribonuclear proteins (anti-U1, U2, and U11/U12 RNP), anti-nucleolar antigens (anti-Th/T0, anti-NOR90, anti-Ku, anti-RuvBL1/2, and anti-PM/Scl), and anti-telomere-associated proteins were also found. Based on these data, inflamm-aging caused by immune dysfunction-mediated inflammation exists in patients with SSc. Hence, increased cellular senescence is elicited by the interactions among excessive oxidative stress, pro-inflammatory cytokines, and autoantibodies. In the present review, we will discuss in detail the molecular basis of chromosome instability, increased oxidative stress, and functional adaptation by deranged immunome, which are related to inflamm-aging in patients with SSc.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chieh-Yu Shen
- Department of Internal Medicine, National Taiwan University Hospital, Taipei 10002, Taiwan; (C.-Y.S.); (C.-H.L.); (C.-H.W.); (K.-J.L.); (Y.-M.K.)
- Graduate Institute of Clinical Medicine, National Taiwan University College of Medicine, Taipei 10002, Taiwan
| | - Cheng-Hsun Lu
- Department of Internal Medicine, National Taiwan University Hospital, Taipei 10002, Taiwan; (C.-Y.S.); (C.-H.L.); (C.-H.W.); (K.-J.L.); (Y.-M.K.)
- Graduate Institute of Clinical Medicine, National Taiwan University College of Medicine, Taipei 10002, Taiwan
| | - Cheng-Han Wu
- Department of Internal Medicine, National Taiwan University Hospital, Taipei 10002, Taiwan; (C.-Y.S.); (C.-H.L.); (C.-H.W.); (K.-J.L.); (Y.-M.K.)
- Graduate Institute of Clinical Medicine, National Taiwan University College of Medicine, Taipei 10002, Taiwan
| | - Ko-Jen Li
- Department of Internal Medicine, National Taiwan University Hospital, Taipei 10002, Taiwan; (C.-Y.S.); (C.-H.L.); (C.-H.W.); (K.-J.L.); (Y.-M.K.)
| | - Yu-Min Kuo
- Department of Internal Medicine, National Taiwan University Hospital, Taipei 10002, Taiwan; (C.-Y.S.); (C.-H.L.); (C.-H.W.); (K.-J.L.); (Y.-M.K.)
- Graduate Institute of Clinical Medicine, National Taiwan University College of Medicine, Taipei 10002, Taiwan
| | - Song-Chou Hsieh
- Department of Internal Medicine, National Taiwan University Hospital, Taipei 10002, Taiwan; (C.-Y.S.); (C.-H.L.); (C.-H.W.); (K.-J.L.); (Y.-M.K.)
- Correspondence: (S.-C.H.); (C.-L.Y.); Tel.: +886-2-23123456 (S.-C.H. & C.-L.Y.)
| | - Chia-Li Yu
- Department of Internal Medicine, National Taiwan University Hospital, Taipei 10002, Taiwan; (C.-Y.S.); (C.-H.L.); (C.-H.W.); (K.-J.L.); (Y.-M.K.)
- Correspondence: (S.-C.H.); (C.-L.Y.); Tel.: +886-2-23123456 (S.-C.H. & C.-L.Y.)
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Johnson SR, van den Hoogen F, Devakandan K, Matucci-Cerinic M, Pope JE. Systemic sclerosis: To subset or not to subset, that is the question. Eur J Rheumatol 2020; 7:S222-S227. [PMID: 33164736 DOI: 10.5152/eurjrheum.2020.19116] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/18/2019] [Accepted: 03/06/2020] [Indexed: 01/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Systemic sclerosis (SSc) is a heterogeneous disease with variability in autoantibody profiles, skin and internal organ involvement, disease trajectory, and survival. The ability to identify more homogeneous subsets of SSc patients has informed patient care and been an essential aspect of SSc research. In this article, the historic evolution of subsetting systems in SSc are described including clinically based SSc subsetting systems, their utility, strengths, and limitations. There is a shifting paradigm of SSc subsets, including biologic classification of SSc subsets and fully data-driven approaches to SSc subset classification, taking into consideration the needs of the SSc global community in the modern era and the ability to prognosticate patients with SSc.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sindhu R Johnson
- Toronto Scleroderma Program, Department of Medicine, Mount Sinai Hospital, Toronto Western Hospital, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.,Institute of Health Policy, Management and Evaluation, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Frank van den Hoogen
- Department of Rheumatology, St. Maartenskliniek and Radboud University Nijmegen Medical Centre, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Keshini Devakandan
- Toronto Scleroderma Program, Department of Medicine, Mount Sinai Hospital, Toronto Western Hospital, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Marco Matucci-Cerinic
- Division of Rheumatology AOUC, Department of Experimental and Clinical Medicine, University of Florence, Florence, Italy
| | - Janet E Pope
- Department of Medicine, Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry, Western University, London, ON, Canada
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Barturen G, Beretta L, Cervera R, Van Vollenhoven R, Alarcón-Riquelme ME. Moving towards a molecular taxonomy of autoimmune rheumatic diseases. Nat Rev Rheumatol 2018; 14:75-93. [PMID: 29362467 DOI: 10.1038/nrrheum.2017.220] [Citation(s) in RCA: 57] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Autoimmune rheumatic diseases pose many problems that have, in general, already been solved in the field of cancer. The heterogeneity of each disease, the clinical similarities and differences between different autoimmune rheumatic diseases and the large number of patients that remain without a diagnosis underline the need to reclassify these diseases via new approaches. Knowledge about the molecular basis of systemic autoimmune diseases, along with the availability of bioinformatics tools capable of handling and integrating large volumes of various types of molecular data at once, offer the possibility of reclassifying these diseases. A new taxonomy could lead to the discovery of new biomarkers for patient stratification and prognosis. Most importantly, this taxonomy might enable important changes in clinical trial design to reach the expected outcomes or the design of molecularly targeted therapies. In this Review, we discuss the basis for a new molecular taxonomy for autoimmune rheumatic diseases. We highlight the evidence surrounding the idea that these diseases share molecular features related to their pathogenesis and development and discuss previous attempts to classify these diseases. We evaluate the tools available to analyse and combine different types of molecular data. Finally, we introduce PRECISESADS, a project aimed at reclassifying the systemic autoimmune diseases.
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Angiolilli C, Marut W, van der Kroef M, Chouri E, Reedquist KA, Radstake TRDJ. New insights into the genetics and epigenetics of systemic sclerosis. Nat Rev Rheumatol 2018; 14:657-73. [PMID: 30305700 DOI: 10.1038/s41584-018-0099-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 65] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Systemic sclerosis (SSc) is a severe autoimmune disease that is characterized by vascular abnormalities, immunological alterations and fibrosis of the skin and internal organs. The results of genetic studies in patients with SSc have revealed statistically significant genetic associations with disease manifestations and progression. Nevertheless, genetic susceptibility to SSc is moderate, and the functional consequences of genetic associations remain only partially characterized. A current hypothesis is that, in genetically susceptible individuals, epigenetic modifications constitute the driving force for disease initiation. As epigenetic alterations can occur years before fibrosis appears, these changes could represent a potential link between inflammation and tissue fibrosis. Epigenetics is a fast-growing discipline, and a considerable number of important epigenetic studies in SSc have been published in the past few years that span histone post-translational modifications, DNA methylation, microRNAs and long non-coding RNAs. This Review describes the latest insights into genetic and epigenetic contributions to the pathogenesis of SSc and aims to provide an improved understanding of the molecular pathways that link inflammation and fibrosis. This knowledge will be of paramount importance for the development of medicines that are effective in treating or even reversing tissue fibrosis.
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8
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Cossu M, Beretta L, Mosterman P, de Hair MJH, Radstake TRDJ. Unmet Needs in Systemic Sclerosis Understanding and Treatment: the Knowledge Gaps from a Scientist's, Clinician's, and Patient's Perspective. Clin Rev Allergy Immunol 2018; 55:312-31. [PMID: 28866756 DOI: 10.1007/s12016-017-8636-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
Systemic sclerosis (SSc) is a highly heterogeneous disease caused by a complex molecular circuitry. For decades, clinical and molecular research focused on understanding the primary process of fibrosis. More recently, the inflammatory, immunological and vascular components that precede the actual onset of fibrosis, have become a matter of increasing scientific scrutiny. As a consequence, the field has started to realize that the early identification of this syndrome is crucial for optimal clinical care as well as for understanding its pathology. The cause of SSc cannot be appointed to a single molecular pathway but to a multitude of molecular aberrances in a spatial and temporal matter and on the backbone of the patient's genetic predisposition. These alterations underlie the plethora of signs and symptoms which patients experience and clinicians look for, ultimately culminating in fibrotic features. To solve this complexity, a close interaction among the patient throughout its "journey," the clinician through its clinical assessments and the researcher with its experimental design, seems to be required. In this review, we aimed to highlight the features of SSc through the eyes of these three professionals, all with their own expertise and opinions. With this unique setup, we underscore the importance of investigating the role of environmental factors in the onset and perpetuation of SSc, of focusing on the earliest signs and symptoms preceding fibrosis and on the application of holistic research approaches that include a multitude of potential molecular alterations in time in an unbiased fashion, in the search for a patient-tailored cure.
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Mariotti B, Servaas NH, Rossato M, Tamassia N, Cassatella MA, Cossu M, Beretta L, van der Kroef M, Radstake TRDJ, Bazzoni F. The Long Non-coding RNA NRIR Drives IFN-Response in Monocytes: Implication for Systemic Sclerosis. Front Immunol 2019; 10:100. [PMID: 30804934 PMCID: PMC6371048 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2019.00100] [Citation(s) in RCA: 50] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/24/2018] [Accepted: 01/14/2019] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
TLR4 activation initiates a signaling cascade leading to the production of type I IFNs and of the downstream IFN-stimulated genes (ISGs). Recently, a number of IFN-induced long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) that feed-back regulate the IFN response have been identified. Dysregulation of this process, collectively known as the "Interferon (IFN) Response," represents a common molecular basis in the development of autoimmune and autoinflammatory disorders. Concurrently, alteration of lncRNA profile has been described in several type I IFN-driven autoimmune diseases. In particular, both TLR activation and the upregulation of ISGs in peripheral blood mononuclear cells have been identified as possible contributors to the pathogenesis of systemic sclerosis (SSc), a connective tissue disease characterized by vascular abnormalities, immune activation, and fibrosis. However, hitherto, a potential link between specific lncRNA and the presence of a type I IFN signature remains unclear in SSc. In this study, we identified, by RNA sequencing, a group of lncRNAs related to the IFN and anti-viral response consistently modulated in a type I IFN-dependent manner in human monocytes in response to TLR4 activation by LPS. Remarkably, these lncRNAs were concurrently upregulated in a total of 46 SSc patients in different stages of their disease as compared to 18 healthy controls enrolled in this study. Among these lncRNAs, Negative Regulator of the IFN Response (NRIR) was found significantly upregulated in vivo in SSc monocytes, strongly correlating with the IFN score of SSc patients. Weighted Gene Co-expression Network Analysis showed that NRIR-specific modules, identified in the two datasets, were enriched in "type I IFN" and "viral response" biological processes. Protein coding genes common to the two distinct NRIR modules were selected as putative NRIR target genes. Fifteen in silico-predicted NRIR target genes were experimentally validated in NRIR-silenced monocytes. Remarkably, induction of CXCL10 and CXCL11, two IFN-related chemokines associated with SSc pathogenesis, was reduced in NRIR-knockdown monocytes, while their plasmatic level was increased in SSc patients. Collectively, our data show that NRIR affects the expression of ISGs and that dysregulation of NRIR in SSc monocytes may account, at least in part, for the type I IFN signature present in SSc patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Barbara Mariotti
- General Pathology Section, Department of Medicine, University of Verona, Verona, Italy
| | - Nila Hendrika Servaas
- Department of Rheumatology and Clinical Immunology, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, Netherlands
- Laboratory of Translational Immunology, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, Netherlands
| | - Marzia Rossato
- Department of Rheumatology and Clinical Immunology, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, Netherlands
- Laboratory of Translational Immunology, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, Netherlands
- Department of Biotechnology, University of Verona, Verona, Italy
| | - Nicola Tamassia
- General Pathology Section, Department of Medicine, University of Verona, Verona, Italy
| | - Marco A. Cassatella
- General Pathology Section, Department of Medicine, University of Verona, Verona, Italy
| | - Marta Cossu
- Department of Rheumatology and Clinical Immunology, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, Netherlands
- Laboratory of Translational Immunology, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, Netherlands
| | - Lorenzo Beretta
- Scleroderma Unit, Fondazione IRCCS Ca' Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico di Milano, Referral Center for Systemic Autoimmune Diseases, Milan, Italy
| | - Maarten van der Kroef
- Department of Rheumatology and Clinical Immunology, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, Netherlands
- Laboratory of Translational Immunology, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, Netherlands
| | - Timothy R. D. J. Radstake
- Department of Rheumatology and Clinical Immunology, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, Netherlands
- Laboratory of Translational Immunology, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, Netherlands
| | - Flavia Bazzoni
- General Pathology Section, Department of Medicine, University of Verona, Verona, Italy
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Rezaei R, Aslani S, Dashti N, Jamshidi A, Gharibdoost F, Mahmoudi M. Genetic implications in the pathogenesis of systemic sclerosis. Int J Rheum Dis 2018; 21:1478-1486. [DOI: 10.1111/1756-185x.13344] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Ramazan Rezaei
- Rheumatology Research Center Tehran University of Medical Sciences Tehran Iran
- Department of Immunology School of Medicine Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences Tehran Iran
| | - Saeed Aslani
- Rheumatology Research Center Tehran University of Medical Sciences Tehran Iran
| | - Navid Dashti
- Rheumatology Research Center Tehran University of Medical Sciences Tehran Iran
- Department of Immunology School of Medicine Tehran University of Medical Sciences Tehran Iran
| | - Ahmadreza Jamshidi
- Rheumatology Research Center Tehran University of Medical Sciences Tehran Iran
| | - Farhad Gharibdoost
- Rheumatology Research Center Tehran University of Medical Sciences Tehran Iran
| | - Mahdi Mahmoudi
- Rheumatology Research Center Tehran University of Medical Sciences Tehran Iran
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Bellocchi C, Fernández-Ochoa Á, Montanelli G, Vigone B, Santaniello A, Milani C, Quirantes-Piné R, Borrás-Linares I, Ventura M, Segura-Carrettero A, Alarcón-Riquelme ME, Beretta L. Microbial and metabolic multi-omic correlations in systemic sclerosis patients. Ann N Y Acad Sci 2018; 1421:97-109. [DOI: 10.1111/nyas.13736] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/08/2018] [Revised: 03/14/2018] [Accepted: 03/24/2018] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Chiara Bellocchi
- Scleroderma Unit, Referral Center for Systemic Autoimmune Diseases, Fondazione IRCCS Ca’ Granda; Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico di Milano; Milan Italy
| | | | - Gaia Montanelli
- Scleroderma Unit, Referral Center for Systemic Autoimmune Diseases, Fondazione IRCCS Ca’ Granda; Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico di Milano; Milan Italy
| | - Barbara Vigone
- Scleroderma Unit, Referral Center for Systemic Autoimmune Diseases, Fondazione IRCCS Ca’ Granda; Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico di Milano; Milan Italy
| | - Alessandro Santaniello
- Scleroderma Unit, Referral Center for Systemic Autoimmune Diseases, Fondazione IRCCS Ca’ Granda; Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico di Milano; Milan Italy
| | - Christian Milani
- Laboratory of Probiogenomics, Department of Life Sciences; University of Parma; Parma Italy
| | | | | | - Marco Ventura
- Laboratory of Probiogenomics, Department of Life Sciences; University of Parma; Parma Italy
| | | | - Marta Eugenia Alarcón-Riquelme
- Centre for Genomics and Oncological Research (GENYO); Pfizer-University of Granada-Andalusian Regional Government; Granada Spain
- Institute for Environmental Medicine; Karolinska Institutet; Stockholm Sweden
| | - Lorenzo Beretta
- Scleroderma Unit, Referral Center for Systemic Autoimmune Diseases, Fondazione IRCCS Ca’ Granda; Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico di Milano; Milan Italy
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12
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Chouri E, Servaas NH, Bekker CPJ, Affandi AJ, Cossu M, Hillen MR, Angiolilli C, Mertens JS, van den Hoogen LL, Silva-Cardoso S, van der Kroef M, Vazirpanah N, Wichers CGK, Carvalheiro T, Blokland SLM, Giovannone B, Porretti L, Marut W, Vigone B, van Roon JAG, Beretta L, Rossato M, Radstake TRDJ. Serum microRNA screening and functional studies reveal miR-483-5p as a potential driver of fibrosis in systemic sclerosis. J Autoimmun 2018; 89:162-70. [PMID: 29371048 DOI: 10.1016/j.jaut.2017.12.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 57] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/09/2017] [Revised: 12/21/2017] [Accepted: 12/21/2017] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are regulatory molecules, which have been addressed as potential biomarkers and therapeutic targets in rheumatic diseases. Here, we investigated the miRNA signature in the serum of systemic sclerosis (SSc) patients and we further assessed their expression in early stages of the disease. METHODS The levels of 758 miRNAs were evaluated in the serum of 26 SSc patients as compared to 9 healthy controls by using an Openarray platform. Three miRNAs were examined in an additional cohort of 107 SSc patients and 24 healthy donors by single qPCR. MiR-483-5p expression was further analysed in the serum of patients with localized scleroderma (LoS) (n = 22), systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) (n = 33) and primary Sjögren's syndrome (pSS) (n = 23). The function of miR-483-5p was examined by transfecting miR-483-5p into primary human dermal fibroblasts and pulmonary endothelial cells. RESULTS 30 miRNAs were significantly increased in patients with SSc. Of these, miR-483-5p showed reproducibly higher levels in an independent SSc cohort and was also elevated in patients with preclinical-SSc symptoms (early SSc). Notably, miR-483-5p was not differentially expressed in patients with SLE or pSS, whereas it was up-regulated in LoS, indicating that this miRNA could be involved in the development of skin fibrosis. Consistently, miR-483-5p overexpression in fibroblasts and endothelial cells modulated the expression of fibrosis-related genes. CONCLUSIONS Our findings showed that miR-483-5p is up-regulated in the serum of SSc patients, from the early stages of the disease onwards, and indicated its potential function as a fine regulator of fibrosis in SSc.
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Cossu M, van Bon L, Preti C, Rossato M, Beretta L, Radstake TRDJ. Earliest Phase of Systemic Sclerosis Typified by Increased Levels of Inflammatory Proteins in the Serum. Arthritis Rheumatol 2017; 69:2359-2369. [PMID: 28859262 DOI: 10.1002/art.40243] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/09/2017] [Accepted: 08/22/2017] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Patients with definite systemic sclerosis (SSc) who lack fibrotic features can be stratified into an intermediate stage of disease severity between preclinical/early SSc (EaSSc) and fibrotic subsets (limited cutaneous SSc [lcSSc] and diffuse cutaneous SSc [dcSSc]). The aim of the present study was to molecularly characterize nonfibrotic SSc and EaSSc on the basis of a broad panel of serum markers of inflammation and tissue damage, in order to increase the knowledge of the pathophysiologic mechanisms underlying SSc progression before the development of fibrosis. METHODS An 88-plex immunoassay was performed in serum samples from a discovery cohort composed of 21 patients with EaSSc (meeting the LeRoy and Medsger criteria), 15 with nonfibrotic SSc (meeting the American College of Rheumatology/European League Against Rheumatism 2013 classification criteria, without skin or lung fibrosis), and 11 healthy controls. Analyte concentrations that were consistently significantly different at the exploratory P value threshold of 0.1 were selected for replication analysis in a larger group composed of 47 patients with EaSSc, 48 with nonfibrotic SSc, and 43 healthy controls, as well as 51 patients with lcSSc and 35 with dcSSc. The value of the replicated molecules in predicting SSc progression (at a family-wise error rate of 0.05) was tested. RESULTS Based on the results of the explorative analysis, 16 molecules were selected for testing in the replication set. The results showed that CXCL10, CXCL11, tumor necrosis factor receptor type II (TNFRII), and chitinase 3-like protein 1 levels were significantly increased in patients with EaSSc and those with nonfibrotic SSc as compared to healthy controls. The disease in patients with high concentrations of CXCL10 and TNFRII was also characterized by a faster rate of progression from EaSSc and from nonfibrotic SSc to worse disease stages. CONCLUSION SSc patients with preclinical/early SSc and those with established, yet nonfibrotic, disease exhibit clear molecular alterations that are associated with faster rates of disease evolution. These data open novel avenues for disease interception in SSc.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marta Cossu
- University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Lenny van Bon
- University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Carlo Preti
- Referral Center for Systemic Autoimmune Diseases, Fondazione IRCCS Ca' Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Milan, Italy
| | - Marzia Rossato
- University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Lorenzo Beretta
- Referral Center for Systemic Autoimmune Diseases, Fondazione IRCCS Ca' Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Milan, Italy
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D'Amico F, Fiorito G, Skarmoutsou E, Granata M, Rossi GA, Trovato C, Bellocchi C, Marchini M, Beretta L, Mazzarino MC. FOXP3, ICOS and ICOSL gene polymorphisms in systemic sclerosis: FOXP3 rs2294020 is associated with disease progression in a female Italian population. Immunobiology 2017; 223:112-117. [PMID: 29030005 DOI: 10.1016/j.imbio.2017.10.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/08/2017] [Revised: 07/13/2017] [Accepted: 10/03/2017] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
Systemic sclerosis (SSc), an autoimmune disorder, is characterized by vasculopathy, inflammation, progressive perivascular and interstitial fibrosis. Its pathogenesis is largely unknown, however strong evidences suggest that genetic predisposition may contribute to SSc development. Several gene polymorphisms involved in regulatory T cell function have been identified in many autoimmune diseases, including SSc. Moreover, dysregulation of co-stimulatory and/or co-inhibitory signals, including ICOS signalling, can lead to autoimmunity. The aim of the present study was to investigate the association of the FOXP3 rs2294020, ICOS rs6726035 and ICOSL rs378299 SNPs with both the susceptibility and the progression to SSc in an Italian case-series of patients. SNP genotyping results were successfully obtained from a total of 350 subjects including 166 individuals with SSc and 184 healthy controls. Although analysis tests did not show any significant associations between the SNPs under study and susceptibility to SSc, the occurrence of FOXP3 rs2294020 in female patients was associated with decreased time to progression from early to definite SSc (allelic model: HR=1.43; CI=1.03-1.99; p=0.03; dominant model: HR=1.54; CI=1.04-2.28; p=0.03). The inclusion of presence of ACA autoantibodies in the model did not significantly change the estimates. No conclusions can be drawn for the susceptibility to the disease or the time to progression in men due to the low statistical power. This study provides evidence of the association of rs2294020 with SSc evolution in female patients, modulating the time of progression from the diagnosis of early SSc to the diagnosis of definite SSc, while no effect on SSc susceptibility per se was found. rs2294020 may be considered a disease-modifying gene-variant rather than a disease-susceptibility SNP in SSc.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fabio D'Amico
- Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, University of Catania, Via S. Sofia 97, 95123 Catania, Italy.
| | - Giovanni Fiorito
- Department of Medical Sciences, University of Turin, via Nizza 52, 10126 Turin, Italy; Italian Istitute for Genomic Medicine (IIGM), via Nizza 52, 10126 Turin, Italy
| | - Evangelia Skarmoutsou
- Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, University of Catania, Via S. Sofia 97, 95123 Catania, Italy
| | - Mariagrazia Granata
- Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, University of Catania, Via S. Sofia 97, 95123 Catania, Italy
| | - Giulio A Rossi
- Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, University of Catania, Via S. Sofia 97, 95123 Catania, Italy
| | - Chiara Trovato
- Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, University of Catania, Via S. Sofia 97, 95123 Catania, Italy
| | - Chiara Bellocchi
- Referral Center for Systemic Autoimmune Diseases, University of Milan and Fondazione IRCCS Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Mangiagalli e Regina Elena, via Pace 9, I-20122 Milan, Italy
| | - Maurizio Marchini
- Referral Center for Systemic Autoimmune Diseases, University of Milan and Fondazione IRCCS Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Mangiagalli e Regina Elena, via Pace 9, I-20122 Milan, Italy
| | - Lorenzo Beretta
- Referral Center for Systemic Autoimmune Diseases, University of Milan and Fondazione IRCCS Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Mangiagalli e Regina Elena, via Pace 9, I-20122 Milan, Italy
| | - Maria Clorinda Mazzarino
- Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, University of Catania, Via S. Sofia 97, 95123 Catania, Italy
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Cossu M, van Bon L, Nierkens S, Bellocchi C, Santaniello A, Dolstra H, Beretta L, Radstake TR. The magnitude of cytokine production by stimulated CD56+ cells is associated with early stages of systemic sclerosis. Clin Immunol 2016; 173:76-80. [DOI: 10.1016/j.clim.2016.09.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/01/2016] [Revised: 07/12/2016] [Accepted: 09/07/2016] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
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Murdaca G, Contatore M, Gulli R, Mandich P, Puppo F. Genetic factors and systemic sclerosis. Autoimmun Rev 2016; 15:427-32. [DOI: 10.1016/j.autrev.2016.01.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/06/2016] [Accepted: 01/22/2016] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
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Cossu M, Andracco R, Santaniello A, Marchini M, Severino A, Caronni M, Radstake T, Beretta L. Serum levels of vascular dysfunction markers reflect disease severity and stage in systemic sclerosis patients. Rheumatology (Oxford) 2016; 55:1112-6. [DOI: 10.1093/rheumatology/kew017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/07/2015] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
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Brkic Z, van Bon L, Cossu M, van Helden-Meeuwsen CG, Vonk MC, Knaapen H, van den Berg W, Dalm VA, Van Daele PL, Severino A, Maria NI, Guillen S, Dik WA, Beretta L, Versnel MA, Radstake T. The interferon type I signature is present in systemic sclerosis before overt fibrosis and might contribute to its pathogenesis through high BAFF gene expression and high collagen synthesis. Ann Rheum Dis 2015; 75:1567-73. [DOI: 10.1136/annrheumdis-2015-207392] [Citation(s) in RCA: 88] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2015] [Accepted: 08/28/2015] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
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Bossini-Castillo L, López-Isac E, Martín J. Immunogenetics of systemic sclerosis: Defining heritability, functional variants and shared-autoimmunity pathways. J Autoimmun 2015. [PMID: 26212856 DOI: 10.1016/j.jaut.2015.07.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 50] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
Systemic sclerosis (SSc) is a clinically heterogeneous connective tissue disorder of complex etiology. The development of large-scale genetic studies, such as genome-wide association studies (GWASs) or the Immunochip platform, has achieved remarkable progress in the knowledge of the genetic background of SSc. Herein, we provide an updated picture SSc genetic factors, offering an insight into their role in pathogenic mechanisms that characterize the disease. We review the most recent findings in the HLA region and the well-established non-HLA loci. Up to 18 non-HLA risk factors fulfilled the selected criteria and they were classified according to their role in the innate or adaptive immune response, in apoptosis, autophagy or fibrosis. Additionally, SSc heritability has remained as a controversial question since twin studies provided low SSc heritability estimates. However, we have recalculated the lower bond of narrow sense SSc heritability using GWAS data. Remarkably, our results suggest a greater influence of genetics on SSc than previously reported. Furthermore, we also offer a functional classification of SSc-associated SNPs and their proxies, based on annotated data, to provide clues for the identification of causal variants in these loci. Finally, we explore the genetic overlap between SSc and other autoimmune diseases (ADs). The vast majority of SSc risk loci are shared with at least one additional AD, being the overlap between SSc and systemic lupus erythematous the largest. Nevertheless, we found that an important portion of SSc risk factors are also common to rheumatoid arthritis or primary biliary cirrhosis. Considering all these evidences, we are confident that future research will be successful in understanding the relevant altered pathways in SSc and in identifying new biomarkers and therapeutic targets for the disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lara Bossini-Castillo
- Instituto de Parasitología y Biomedicina López-Neyra, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (IPBLN-CSIC), Parque Tecnológico de La Salud (PTS), Granada, Spain.
| | - Elena López-Isac
- Instituto de Parasitología y Biomedicina López-Neyra, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (IPBLN-CSIC), Parque Tecnológico de La Salud (PTS), Granada, Spain
| | - Javier Martín
- Instituto de Parasitología y Biomedicina López-Neyra, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (IPBLN-CSIC), Parque Tecnológico de La Salud (PTS), Granada, Spain.
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Valentini G. Undifferentiated Connective Tissue Disease at risk for systemic sclerosis (SSc) (so far referred to as very early/early SSc or pre-SSc). Autoimmun Rev 2014; 14:210-3. [PMID: 25461837 DOI: 10.1016/j.autrev.2014.11.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/01/2014] [Accepted: 11/05/2014] [Indexed: 10/24/2022]
Abstract
In the last few years, a number of studies have been published on a condition characterized by Raynaud's phenomenon (RP) associated with systemic sclerosis (SSc) marker autoantibodies and/or scleroderma-type capillaroscopic abnormalities and referred to as very early/early SSc. The present review is devoted to analyze pathophysiologic, clinical, and evolutive aspects of the condition that would induce to label it as Undifferentiated Connective Tissue Disease at risk for SSc and to split it into 3 subsets (i.e. RP associated to marker autoantibodies and scleroderma-type capillaroscopic abnormalities; RP associated to marker autoantibodies in the absence of scleroderma-type capillaroscopic abnormalities; and RP associated to scleroderma-type capillaroscopic abnormalities without any detectable marker autoantibody), which have been shown to carry different degrees of risk, but not the certainty, to develop overt SSc over time. This nosographic approach is instrumental to plan future studies devoted to investigate validated biomarkers heralding the development of major vascular disease manifestations as well as skin and/or organ fibrosis in patients at risk.
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