Expression of microRNA-21 and TIMP-3 in paradoxical psoriasiform reactions during treatment with antitumor necrosis factor agents

BACKGROUND

Expression of microRNA-21 (miR-21) is increased in psoriasis, leading to reduced levels of epidermal tissue inhibitor of matrix metalloproteinase 3 (TIMP-3), a highly potent inhibitor of the tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNFα) sheddase TACE (TNFα-converting enzyme)/ADAM17. We described the profile of miR-21 and TIMP-3 in paradoxical psoriasiform reactions induced by anti-TNFα drugs and in a control group to elucidate the pathogenesis of this reactions.

METHODS

We performed an analytic, cross-sectional, prospective, experimental case-control study. We compared our findings with those of non-induced psoriasis.

RESULTS

We included 15 patients with a change of morphology (plaque to guttate psoriasis) and 10 patients with induced psoriasis (six palmoplantar pustulosis and four plaque psoriasis). Consecutive patients with different subtypes of non-induced, non-systemically treated psoriasis were included as a control group. We found that most cases with guttate psoriasis and with induced plaque psoriasis cases showed high expression of TIMP-3 expression and decreased or poorly increased levels of miR-21. The expression pattern was not homogeneous in the cases of induced palmoplantar pustulosis. These profiles differ from those of non-induced psoriasis.

CONCLUSION

We conclude that various pro-inflammatory cytokine profiles are involved in the pathogenesis of paradoxical psoriasiform reactions and non-induced psoriasis.

Expression Pattern of Leptin and Its Receptors in Endometrioid Endometrial Cancer

The identification of novel molecular markers and the development of cancer treatment strategies are very important as cancer incidence is still very high. Obesity can contribute to cancer progression, including endometrial cancer. Adipocytes secrete leptin, which, when at a high level, is associated with an increased risk of cancer. The aim of this study was to determine the expression profile of leptin-related genes in the endometrial tissue samples and whole blood of patients. The study material included tissue samples and whole blood collected from 30 patients with endometrial cancer and 30 without cancer. Microarrays were used to assess the expression profile of leptin-related genes. Then, the expression of leptin (LEP), leptin receptor (LEPR), leptin receptor overlapping transcript (LEPROT), and leptin receptor overlapping transcript-like 1 (LEPROTL1) was determined by the Real-Time Quantitative Reverse Transcription Reaction (RT-qPCR). The serum leptin concentration was evaluated using Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Leptin and its receptors were overexpressed both at the mRNA and protein levels. Furthermore, there were strong positive correlations between leptin levels and patient Body Mass Index (BMI). Elevated levels of leptin and its receptors may potentially contribute to the progression of endometrial cancer. These observations may be useful in designing endometrial cancer treatment strategies.

Effect of adalimumab on the expression profile of mRNA, and protein associated with JAK/STAT signaling pathway in fibroblast exposed to lipopolysaccharide

The aim of this study was to assess the effect of adalimumab on the expression level of mRNA and protein TNF-α, IFN-γ, IL-17, IL12A, IL12B, and IL23A in the culture of normal human fibroblasts, in which the LPS inflammation process was induced. The NHDF culture was exposed to the effect of LPS in the concentrations of 1, 2, and 10 μg/mL for 2, 8, and 24 hour periods, and then adalimumab was added at the concentration of 8 μg/mL, it was then incubated for 2, 8, and 24 hour. Cells unexposed to LPS and adalimumab constituted the control. The microarray expression techniques, RTqPCR, and ELISA assay were used. Irrespectively of the concentration of LPS used and the incubation time of it with cells overexpression of the analyzed genes is present, with increasing factor concentration used to induce inflammation and incubation time with it, expression of the assessed genes was greater. In turn, adding the anti-TNF drug to the culture caused the silencing of the expression of the mRNAs and proteins. It was confirmed that LPS and adalimumab above all affect the expression of genes and proteins dependent on the interaction of IL-12 with receptors, which are TNF-α and IFN-γ, and to a lesser extent also modulate IL-17.