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Cheng C, Yang H, Yang C, Xie J, Wang J, Cheng L, He J, Li H, Yuan H, Guo F, Li M, Liu S. LATS2 degradation promoted fibrosis damage and rescued by vitamin K3 in lupus nephritis. Arthritis Res Ther 2024; 26:64. [PMID: 38459604 PMCID: PMC10924340 DOI: 10.1186/s13075-024-03292-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/18/2023] [Accepted: 02/22/2024] [Indexed: 03/10/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Lupus nephritis (LN) is the most common complication of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). The limited treatment options for LN increase the economic burdens on patients. Because fibrotic progression leads to irreversible renal damage in LN patients and further progresses to chronic kidney disease (CKD) and the end stage of renal disease (ESRD), developing new targets to prevent LN fibrotic progression could lead to a feasible treatment strategy for LN patients. METHODS In this study, we examined YAP activation and LATS2 downregulation in LN kidney biopsy samples (LN: n = 8, normal: n = 2) and lupus-prone MRL/lpr mice (n = 8 for each disease stage). The function of LATS2 was further investigated by in situ injection of Ad-LATS2 into mice with LN (n = 6 mice per group). We examined the role of SIAH2-LATS2 regulation by IP-MS and co-IP, and the protective effect of the SIAH2 inhibitor was investigated in mice with LN. RESULTS Restoring LATS2 by an adenovirus in vivo alleviated renal fibrotic damage in mice with LN. Moreover, we found that LATS2 was degraded by a K48 ubiquitination-proteasome pathway mediated by SIAH2 and promoted YAP activation to worsen fibrosis progression in LN. The H150 region of the substrate binding domain (SBD) is an important site for SIAH2-LATS2 binding. The SIAH2-specific inhibitor vitamin K3 protected against LN-associated fibrotic damage in vivo. CONCLUSION In summary, we identified the SIAH2-LATS2 axis as an attractive intervention target in LN to alter the resistance to fibrosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chen Cheng
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of New Drug Screening, NMPA Key Laboratory of Drug Metabolism Research and Evaluation, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, 510515, China
| | - Hao Yang
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of New Drug Screening, NMPA Key Laboratory of Drug Metabolism Research and Evaluation, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, 510515, China
| | - Chan Yang
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of New Drug Screening, NMPA Key Laboratory of Drug Metabolism Research and Evaluation, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, 510515, China
| | - Juan Xie
- Center of Clinical Laboratory, The First Affiliated Hospital of Jinan University, Guangzhou, 510630, China
| | - Jinshen Wang
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of New Drug Screening, NMPA Key Laboratory of Drug Metabolism Research and Evaluation, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, 510515, China
| | - Luping Cheng
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of New Drug Screening, NMPA Key Laboratory of Drug Metabolism Research and Evaluation, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, 510515, China
| | - Jianfu He
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of New Drug Screening, NMPA Key Laboratory of Drug Metabolism Research and Evaluation, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, 510515, China
| | - Honglian Li
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of New Drug Screening, NMPA Key Laboratory of Drug Metabolism Research and Evaluation, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, 510515, China
| | - Haoxing Yuan
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of New Drug Screening, NMPA Key Laboratory of Drug Metabolism Research and Evaluation, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, 510515, China
| | - Fangfang Guo
- Center of Clinical Laboratory, The First Affiliated Hospital of Jinan University, Guangzhou, 510630, China
| | - Minmin Li
- Center of Clinical Laboratory, The First Affiliated Hospital of Jinan University, Guangzhou, 510630, China.
| | - Shuwen Liu
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of New Drug Screening, NMPA Key Laboratory of Drug Metabolism Research and Evaluation, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, 510515, China.
- State Key Laboratory of Organ Failure Research, Guangdong Provincial Institute of Nephrology, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, 510515, China.
- Innovation Center for Medical Basic Research On Inflammation and Immune Related Diseases, Ministry of Education, Guangzhou, 510515, China.
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2
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Wang D, Zhang F, He J, Li C, Liu X, Zhang M, Huang H, Xiong Z, Duan H, Huang X, Wang M. Phosphorylated vimentin at Ser72 is associated with epithelial-mesenchymal transition in lupus nephritis. Int J Rheum Dis 2024; 27:e14990. [PMID: 38078507 DOI: 10.1111/1756-185x.14990] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/14/2023] [Revised: 11/17/2023] [Accepted: 11/20/2023] [Indexed: 01/31/2024]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES To measure the expression of vimentin and its phosphorylated forms in lupus nephritis (LN) and explore their potential role in LN development. METHODS Lupus renal biopsies from LN patients and normal renal biopsies from kidney transplant donors were collected. The expression of vimentin and its phosphorylated forms (p-vimentin (Ser39, Ser56, Ser72, Ser83, and Tyr117)) were measured by Western blots and immunohistochemistry. To construct stable cell line that overexpress vimentin and its phosphorylated forms, an immortalized proximal tubule epithelial cell line (HK-2 cells) was utilized. The roles of vimentin and its phosphorylated forms on the migration of HK-2 cells were examined by transwell migration assay and wound healing analysis. RESULTS We first observed a significant upregulation of vimentin protein in TGFβ1-induced HK-2 cells. This finding was further confirmed in renal tissues obtained from LN patients and animal model. Interestingly, among the five phosphorylated forms of vimentin, only vimentin phosphorylated at Ser72 was upregulated in LN. Through the establishment of stable vimentin and its phosphorylated forms overexpression in HK-2 cells, we found that the overexpression of vimentin and its phosphorylated forms at Ser72 significantly enhances the cell migration. CONCLUSIONS Vimentin phosphorylated on Ser72 is important for renal epithelial cell migration, which would enhance the progression of vimentin-induced epithelial-mesenchymal transition during LN development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daji Wang
- Key Laboratory of Quantitative Synthetic Biology, Shenzhen Institute of Synthetic Biology, Shenzhen Institutes of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen, China
| | - Fan Zhang
- Department of Nephrology, Peking University Shenzhen Hospital, Shenzhen, China
| | - Jing He
- Department of Nephrology, Peking University Shenzhen Hospital, Shenzhen, China
- Department of Rheumatology and Immunology, Shenzhen Second People's Hospital, The First Affiliated Hospital of Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, China
| | - Chuyi Li
- Key Laboratory of Protein and Peptide Pharmaceutical, Institute of Biophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Xingjiao Liu
- Department of Rheumatology and Immunology, Shenzhen Second People's Hospital, The First Affiliated Hospital of Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, China
| | - Meng Zhang
- Department of Pathology, Shenzhen Second People's Hospital, The First Affiliated Hospital of Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, China
| | - Haihui Huang
- Department of Pathology, Shenzhen Second People's Hospital, The First Affiliated Hospital of Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, China
| | - Zuying Xiong
- Department of Nephrology, Peking University Shenzhen Hospital, Shenzhen, China
| | - Hongxia Duan
- Key Laboratory of Protein and Peptide Pharmaceutical, Institute of Biophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Xiaoyan Huang
- Department of Nephrology, Peking University Shenzhen Hospital, Shenzhen, China
| | - Meiying Wang
- Department of Rheumatology and Immunology, Shenzhen Second People's Hospital, The First Affiliated Hospital of Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, China
- Department of Rheumatology and Immunology, Peking University Shenzhen Hospital, Shenzhen, China
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3
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Tilman G, Dupré E, Watteyne L, Baert CA, Nolf D, Benhaddi F, Lambert F, Daumerie A, Bouzin C, Lucas S, Limaye N. p16 Ink4a, a marker of cellular senescence, is associated with renal disease in the B6. NZMSle1/Sle2/Sle3 mouse model of lupus. Lupus Sci Med 2023; 10:e001010. [PMID: 37899089 PMCID: PMC10619045 DOI: 10.1136/lupus-2023-001010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/01/2023] [Accepted: 10/09/2023] [Indexed: 10/31/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Despite treatment, one-third of patients with lupus nephritis (LN) show a decline in renal function. Prognostic markers of poor outcome as well as novel therapeutic targets are therefore highly sought. We showed that p16INK4a, a marker of cellular senescence, is observed in baseline kidney biopsies from patients with LN, and is associated with renal disease. Here, we set out to assess for whether these findings are recapitulated in the B6.NZMSle1/Sle2/Sle3 (B6.Sle1.2.3) mouse model of spontaneous lupus. METHODS We evaluated the occurrence and time of onset of p16Ink4a staining by immunohistochemistry on kidney sections, and tested for its association with multiple renal and systemic disease parameters, fibrosis and CD8+ T cell infiltration, in two cohorts of B6.Sle1.2.3 mice. RESULTS The presence of p16Ink4a-positive cells in kidney was significantly associated with increased urine albumin/creatinine ratio, histopathological scores, CD8+ T cell infiltration and fibrosis, in both B6.Sle1.2.3 cohorts. In contrast, p16Ink4a staining was not associated with systemic disease parameters. A time course showed that systemic disease parameters as well as glomerular IgG deposits appeared in B6.Sle1.2.3 mice by 4 months of age; the appearance of p16Ink4a-positive cells occurred later, by 8 months of age, overlapping with renal disease. CONCLUSION We report, for the first time, the presence of p16Ink4a-positive cells, a marker of cellular senescence, in the B6.Sle1.2.3 kidney, and their association with renal disease severity. This provides a preclinical model in which to test for the role of cellular senescence in the pathogenesis of LN, as a potential kidney-intrinsic disease mechanism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gaëlle Tilman
- de Duve Institute, Université catholique de Louvain, Brussels, Belgium
- Department of Rheumatology, Cliniques universitaires Saint-Luc, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Emilie Dupré
- de Duve Institute, Université catholique de Louvain, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Laura Watteyne
- de Duve Institute, Université catholique de Louvain, Brussels, Belgium
| | | | - Delphine Nolf
- de Duve Institute, Université catholique de Louvain, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Fatima Benhaddi
- de Duve Institute, Université catholique de Louvain, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Fanny Lambert
- de Duve Institute, Université catholique de Louvain, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Aurélie Daumerie
- IREC Imaging Platform (2IP), Institut de Recherche Expérimentale et Clinique, Université catholique de Louvain, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Caroline Bouzin
- IREC Imaging Platform (2IP), Institut de Recherche Expérimentale et Clinique, Université catholique de Louvain, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Sophie Lucas
- de Duve Institute, Université catholique de Louvain, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Nisha Limaye
- de Duve Institute, Université catholique de Louvain, Brussels, Belgium
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Xipell M, Lledó GM, Egan AC, Tamirou F, Del Castillo CS, Rovira J, Gómez-Puerta JA, García-Herrera A, Cervera R, Kronbichler A, Jayne DRW, Anders HJ, Houssiau F, Espinosa G, Quintana LF. From systemic lupus erythematosus to lupus nephritis: The evolving road to targeted therapies. Autoimmun Rev 2023; 22:103404. [PMID: 37543287 DOI: 10.1016/j.autrev.2023.103404] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/15/2023] [Accepted: 08/02/2023] [Indexed: 08/07/2023]
Abstract
Systemic lupus erythematosus is a chronic autoimmune disease characterized by loss of tolerance against nuclear and cytoplasmic self-antigens, induction of immunity and tissue inflammation. Lupus nephritis (LN), the most important predictor of morbidity in SLE, develops in almost 30% of SLE patients at disease onset and in up to 50-60% within the first 10 years. Firstly, in this review, we put the pathogenic mechanisms of the disease into a conceptual frame, giving emphasis to the role of the innate immune system in this loss of self-tolerance and the induction of the adaptive immune response. In this aspect, many mechanisms have been described such as dysregulation and acceleration of cell-death pathways, an aberrant clearance and overload of immunogenic acid-nucleic-containing debris and IC, and the involvement of antigen-presenting cells and other innate immune cells in the induction of this adaptive immune response. This result in a clonal expansion of autoreactive lymphocytes with generation of effector T-cells, memory B-cells and plasma cells that produce autoantibodies that will cause kidney damage. Secondly, we review the immunological pathways of damage in the kidney parenchyma, initiated by autoantibody binding and immune complex deposition, and followed by complement-mediated microvascular injury, activation of kidney stromal cells and the recruitment of leukocytes. Finally, we summarize the rationale for the treatment of LN, from conventional to new targeted therapies, focusing on their systemic immunologic effects and the minimization of podocytary damage.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marc Xipell
- Department of Nephrology and Renal Transplantation, Clinic Barcelona, Spain; Reference Center for Complex Glomerular Diseases of the Spanish Health System (CSUR), Department of Medicine, University of Barcelona, Spain; Institut d'Investigacions Biomèdiques August Pi i Sunyer (IDIBAPS), Barcelona, Spain
| | - Gema M Lledó
- Department of Autoimmune Diseases, Clínic Barcelona, Spain; Reference Center for Systemic Autoimmune Diseases of the Spanish Health System (CSUR), Department of Medicine, University of Barcelona, Spain; Institut d'Investigacions Biomèdiques August Pi i Sunyer (IDIBAPS), University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Allyson C Egan
- Vasculitis and Lupus Service, Addenbrooke's Hospital, Cambridge, United Kingdom; Department of Medicine, University of Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Farah Tamirou
- Rheumatology Department, Cliniques Universitaires Saint-Luc, Bruxelles, Belgium; Pôle de Pathologies Rhumatismales Inflammatoires et Systémiques, Institut de Recherche Expérimentale et Clinique, Université catholique de Louvain, Belgium
| | | | - Jordi Rovira
- Laboratori Experimental de Nefrologia i Trasplantament (LENIT), Institut d'Investigacions Biomèdiques August Pi i Sunyer (IDIBAPS), Barcelona, Spain
| | - José A Gómez-Puerta
- Department of Rheumatology, Clínic Barcelona, Spain; Institut d'Investigacions Biomèdiques August Pi i Sunyer (IDIBAPS), University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain
| | - Adriana García-Herrera
- Department of Pathology, Clínic Barcelona, Spain; Reference Center for Complex Glomerular Diseases of the Spanish Health System (CSUR), Department of Medicine, University of Barcelona, Spain; Institut d'Investigacions Biomèdiques August Pi i Sunyer (IDIBAPS), Barcelona, Spain
| | - Ricard Cervera
- Department of Autoimmune Diseases, Clínic Barcelona, Spain
| | - Andreas Kronbichler
- Vasculitis and Lupus Service, Addenbrooke's Hospital, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - David R W Jayne
- Vasculitis and Lupus Service, Addenbrooke's Hospital, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Hans-Joachim Anders
- Division of Nephrology, Department of Medicine IV, LMU University Hospital, LMU Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Frédéric Houssiau
- Vasculitis and Lupus Service, Addenbrooke's Hospital, Cambridge, United Kingdom; Department of Medicine, University of Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Gerard Espinosa
- Department of Autoimmune Diseases, Clínic Barcelona, Spain; Reference Center for Systemic Autoimmune Diseases of the Spanish Health System (CSUR), Department of Medicine, University of Barcelona, Spain; Institut d'Investigacions Biomèdiques August Pi i Sunyer (IDIBAPS), University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.
| | - Luis F Quintana
- Department of Nephrology and Renal Transplantation, Clinic Barcelona, Spain; Reference Center for Complex Glomerular Diseases of the Spanish Health System (CSUR), Department of Medicine, University of Barcelona, Spain; Institut d'Investigacions Biomèdiques August Pi i Sunyer (IDIBAPS), Barcelona, Spain.
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5
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Sarrand J, Soyfoo MS. Involvement of Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition (EMT) in Autoimmune Diseases. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:14481. [PMID: 37833928 PMCID: PMC10572663 DOI: 10.3390/ijms241914481] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/01/2023] [Revised: 09/16/2023] [Accepted: 09/18/2023] [Indexed: 10/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) is a complex reversible biological process characterized by the loss of epithelial features and the acquisition of mesenchymal features. EMT was initially described in developmental processes and was further associated with pathological conditions including metastatic cascade arising in neoplastic progression and organ fibrosis. Fibrosis is delineated by an excessive number of myofibroblasts, resulting in exuberant production of extracellular matrix (ECM) proteins, thereby compromising organ function and ultimately leading to its failure. It is now well acknowledged that a significant number of myofibroblasts result from the conversion of epithelial cells via EMT. Over the past two decades, evidence has accrued linking fibrosis to many chronic autoimmune and inflammatory diseases, including systemic sclerosis (SSc), rheumatoid arthritis (RA), systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), Sjögren's syndrome (SS), and inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD). In addition, chronic inflammatory states observed in most autoimmune and inflammatory diseases can act as a potent trigger of EMT, leading to the development of a pathological fibrotic state. In the present review, we aim to describe the current state of knowledge regarding the contribution of EMT to the pathophysiological processes of various rheumatic conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julie Sarrand
- Department of Rheumatology, Hôpital Erasme, Université Libre de Bruxelles, 1070 Brussels, Belgium
| | - Muhammad S. Soyfoo
- Department of Rheumatology, Hôpital Erasme, Université Libre de Bruxelles, 1070 Brussels, Belgium
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Flores-Chova A, Martinez-Arroyo O, Riffo-Campos AL, Ortega A, Forner MJ, Cortes R. Plasma Exosomal Non-Coding RNA Profile Associated with Renal Damage Reveals Potential Therapeutic Targets in Lupus Nephritis. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:ijms24087088. [PMID: 37108249 PMCID: PMC10139178 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24087088] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/08/2023] [Revised: 03/31/2023] [Accepted: 04/05/2023] [Indexed: 04/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Despite considerable progress in our understanding of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) pathophysiology, patient diagnosis is often deficient and late, and this has an impact on disease progression. The aim of this study was to analyze non-coding RNA (ncRNA) packaged into exosomes by next-generation sequencing to assess the molecular profile associated with renal damage, one of the most serious complications of SLE, to identify new potential targets to improve disease diagnosis and management using Gene Ontology (GO) and the Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) analysis. The plasma exosomes had a specific ncRNA profile associated with lupus nephritis (LN). The three ncRNA types with the highest number of differentially expressed transcripts were microRNAs (miRNAs), long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) and piwi-interacting RNAs (piRNAs). We identified an exosomal 29-ncRNA molecular signature, of which 15 were associated only with LN presence; piRNAs were the most representative, followed by lncRNAs and miRNAs. The transcriptional regulatory network showed a significant role for four lncRNAs (LINC01015, LINC01986, AC087257.1 and AC022596.1) and two miRNAs (miR-16-5p and miR-101-3p) in network organization, targeting critical pathways implicated in inflammation, fibrosis, epithelial-mesenchymal transition and actin cytoskeleton. From these, a handful of potential targets, such as transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β) superfamily binding proteins (activin-A, TGFB receptors, etc.), WNT/β-catenin and fibroblast growth factors (FGFs) have been identified for use as therapeutic targets of renal damage in SLE.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ana Flores-Chova
- Cardiometabolic and Renal Risk Research Group, INCLIVA Biomedical Research Institute, 46010 Valencia, Spain
| | - Olga Martinez-Arroyo
- Cardiometabolic and Renal Risk Research Group, INCLIVA Biomedical Research Institute, 46010 Valencia, Spain
| | - Angela L Riffo-Campos
- Millennium Nucleus on Sociomedicine (SocioMed) and Universidad de La Frontera, Doctorado en Ciencias Medicas, Temuco 4780000, Chile
- Department of Computer Science, ETSE, University of Valencia, 46010 Valencia, Spain
| | - Ana Ortega
- Cardiometabolic and Renal Risk Research Group, INCLIVA Biomedical Research Institute, 46010 Valencia, Spain
- CIBERCV (CIBER of Cardiovascular Diseases), 28029 Madrid, Spain
| | - Maria J Forner
- Internal Medicine Unit, Hospital Clinico Universitario, 46010 Valencia, Spain
- Department of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Valencia, 46010 Valencia, Spain
| | - Raquel Cortes
- Cardiometabolic and Renal Risk Research Group, INCLIVA Biomedical Research Institute, 46010 Valencia, Spain
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7
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Frangou E, Garantziotis P, Grigoriou M, Banos A, Nikolopoulos D, Pieta A, Doumas SA, Fanouriakis A, Hatzioannou A, Manolakou T, Alissafi T, Verginis P, Athanasiadis E, Dermitzakis E, Bertsias G, Filia A, Boumpas DT. Cross-species transcriptome analysis for early detection and specific therapeutic targeting of human lupus nephritis. Ann Rheum Dis 2022; 81:1409-1419. [PMID: 35906002 PMCID: PMC9484391 DOI: 10.1136/annrheumdis-2021-222069] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/31/2021] [Accepted: 04/08/2022] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
Objectives Patients with lupus nephritis (LN) are in urgent need for early diagnosis and therapeutic interventions targeting aberrant molecular pathways enriched in affected kidneys. Methods We used mRNA-sequencing in effector (spleen) and target (kidneys, brain) tissues from lupus and control mice at sequential time points, and in the blood from 367 individuals (261 systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) patients and 106 healthy individuals). Comparative cross-tissue and cross-species analyses were performed. The human dataset was split into training and validation sets and machine learning was applied to build LN predictive models. Results In murine SLE, we defined a kidney-specific molecular signature, as well as a molecular signature that underlies transition from preclinical to overt disease and encompasses pathways linked to metabolism, innate immune system and neutrophil degranulation. The murine kidney transcriptome partially mirrors the blood transcriptome of patients with LN with 11 key transcription factors regulating the cross-species active LN molecular signature. Integrated protein-to-protein interaction and drug prediction analyses identified the kinases TRRAP, AKT2, CDK16 and SCYL1 as putative targets of these factors and capable of reversing the LN signature. Using murine kidney-specific genes as disease predictors and machine-learning training of the human RNA-sequencing dataset, we developed and validated a peripheral blood-based algorithm that discriminates LN patients from normal individuals (based on 18 genes) and non-LN SLE patients (based on 20 genes) with excellent sensitivity and specificity (area under the curve range from 0.80 to 0.99). Conclusions Machine-learning analysis of a large whole blood RNA-sequencing dataset of SLE patients using human orthologs of mouse kidney-specific genes can be used for early, non-invasive diagnosis and therapeutic targeting of LN. The kidney-specific gene predictors may facilitate prevention and early intervention trials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eleni Frangou
- Laboratory of Autoimmunity and Inflammation, Biomedical Research Foundation of the Academy of Athens, Athens, Greece.,Department of Nephrology, Limassol General Hospital, Limassol, Cyprus
| | - Panagiotis Garantziotis
- Laboratory of Autoimmunity and Inflammation, Biomedical Research Foundation of the Academy of Athens, Athens, Greece.,Department of Clinical Immunology and Rheumatology, Medical University Hannover, Hannover, Germany
| | - Maria Grigoriou
- Laboratory of Autoimmunity and Inflammation, Biomedical Research Foundation of the Academy of Athens, Athens, Greece
| | - Aggelos Banos
- Laboratory of Autoimmunity and Inflammation, Biomedical Research Foundation of the Academy of Athens, Athens, Greece
| | - Dionysis Nikolopoulos
- Laboratory of Autoimmunity and Inflammation, Biomedical Research Foundation of the Academy of Athens, Athens, Greece
| | - Antigone Pieta
- Laboratory of Autoimmunity and Inflammation, Biomedical Research Foundation of the Academy of Athens, Athens, Greece
| | - Stavros A Doumas
- Laboratory of Autoimmunity and Inflammation, Biomedical Research Foundation of the Academy of Athens, Athens, Greece
| | - Antonis Fanouriakis
- Laboratory of Autoimmunity and Inflammation, Biomedical Research Foundation of the Academy of Athens, Athens, Greece
| | - Aikaterini Hatzioannou
- Laboratory of Autoimmunity and Inflammation, Biomedical Research Foundation of the Academy of Athens, Athens, Greece
| | - Theodora Manolakou
- Laboratory of Autoimmunity and Inflammation, Biomedical Research Foundation of the Academy of Athens, Athens, Greece
| | - Themis Alissafi
- Laboratory of Autoimmunity and Inflammation, Biomedical Research Foundation of the Academy of Athens, Athens, Greece
| | - Panayotis Verginis
- Laboratory of Autoimmunity and Inflammation, Biomedical Research Foundation of the Academy of Athens, Athens, Greece
| | - Emmanouil Athanasiadis
- Laboratory of Autoimmunity and Inflammation, Biomedical Research Foundation of the Academy of Athens, Athens, Greece
| | - Emmanouil Dermitzakis
- Department of Genetic Medicine and Development and Institute of Genetics and Genomics of Geneva (iG3), University of Geneva Medical School, Geneve, Switzerland
| | - George Bertsias
- Laboratory of Rheumatology, Autoimmunity and Inflammation, University of Crete Medical School, Heraklion, Greece
| | - Anastasia Filia
- Laboratory of Autoimmunity and Inflammation, Biomedical Research Foundation of the Academy of Athens, Athens, Greece
| | - Dimitrios T Boumpas
- Laboratory of Autoimmunity and Inflammation, Biomedical Research Foundation of the Academy of Athens, Athens, Greece .,4th Department of Medicine, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens Medical School, Athens, Greece.,Medical School, University of Cyprus, Nicosia, Cyprus
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8
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Alarcón-Riquelme ME. Transcriptome Studies in Lupus Nephritis. Arch Immunol Ther Exp (Warsz) 2022; 70:15. [PMID: 35469108 DOI: 10.1007/s00005-022-00651-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2021] [Accepted: 03/09/2022] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
The present review is aimed at describing the main works that have used gene expression to analyze tissue kidney samples of lupus nephritis patients. Most studies used the gene expression arrays, which enormously advanced our knowledge on the possible mechanisms behind lupus nephritis. However, using bulk gene expression platforms, either as arrays, or as sequencing of RNA is not enough to go into detail of the cells and their molecular patterns and single cell mechanisms of disease. More recently, the first single cell RNA Sequencing study was published and this will also be discussed in the context of lupus nephritis. Single cell RNA sequencing allows to retrieve the genes expressed in each cell in the tissue of interest or in blood. In this context, the results of such studies give us a first glimpse of how a lupus nephritis kidney looks like, but much is still to be done to understand the changes that occur with treatment or with the different pathological subtypes of lupus nephritis and their cellular content.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marta E Alarcón-Riquelme
- GENYO. Center for Genomics and Oncological Research. Pfizer / University of Granada / Andalusian Regional Government, Av de la Ilustración 114, 18016, Granada, Spain. .,Institute for Environmental Medicine, Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, Sweden.
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9
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Montigny PM, Houssiau FA. New Treatment Options in Lupus Nephritis. Arch Immunol Ther Exp (Warsz) 2022; 70:11. [PMID: 35298708 DOI: 10.1007/s00005-022-00647-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/18/2021] [Accepted: 01/10/2022] [Indexed: 11/02/2022]
Abstract
The aim of this study is to report major recent progresses in the treatment of lupus nephritis (LN). Results of controlled randomized trials are discussed in view of the unmet needs in the field. Current treatments of LN are not satisfactory, with a disappointing proportion of 20-30% of patients achieving complete renal response within 6-12 months, and 5-20% developing end-stage kidney disease within ten years. Two drugs (belimumab and voclosporin) have been officially registered by the medical agencies as add on treatment of LN, a first-in-history success after decades of use of non-registered drugs and trial failures. Other targeted therapies (obinutuzumab and anifrolumab) are currently tested in Phase III trials, after interesting results in Phase II studies. Unanswered questions related to the use of these new drugs are discussed. Recent trials have opened new avenues for the treatment of LN which will hopefully reduce the rate of chronic kidney disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pauline M Montigny
- Pôle de Pathologies Rhumatismales Inflammatoires et Systémiques, Institut de Recherche Expérimentale et Clinique, Université catholique de Louvain, Avenue Mounier, 53, 1200, Bruxelles, Belgium. .,Service de Rhumatologie CHU UCL Namur, Yvoir, Belgium.
| | - Frédéric A Houssiau
- Pôle de Pathologies Rhumatismales Inflammatoires et Systémiques, Institut de Recherche Expérimentale et Clinique, Université catholique de Louvain, Avenue Mounier, 53, 1200, Bruxelles, Belgium.,Service de Rhumatologie, Cliniques universitaires Saint-Luc, Bruxelles, Belgium
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10
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Tilman G, Bouzin C, Aydin S, Tamirou F, Galant C, Coulie PG, Houssiau F, Lauwerys B, Limaye N. High p16 INK4a, a marker of cellular senescence, is associated with renal injury, impairment and outcome in lupus nephritis. RMD Open 2021; 7:rmdopen-2021-001844. [PMID: 34686545 PMCID: PMC8543753 DOI: 10.1136/rmdopen-2021-001844] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/26/2021] [Accepted: 10/05/2021] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Objectives Because a significant fraction of patients with lupus nephritis (LN) develops renal impairment, there is a need to better understand the mechanisms underlying disease progression. Here, we assessed for cellular senescence in the LN kidney, and its association with disease severity and outcome. Methods We enumerated the number of cells positive for p16INK4a protein, a marker of cellular senescence, by immunohistochemistry followed by digital quantification, on renal biopsies from 40 patients with active LN. We tested for an association of p16INK4a with renal fibrosis, CD8+ T cell infiltration, systemic disease and renal function at baseline and at 5 years. Results The presence of p16INK4a-positive cells was significantly associated with lower estimated glomerular filtration rate at baseline and 5 years post-treatment, independently of patient demographics and systemic disease parameters. It was also associated with higher baseline renal fibrosis and CD8+ T cell infiltration. Interestingly, we observed marked spatial co-distribution of glomerular p16INK4a-positive cells with CD8+ T cells. Conclusion We demonstrate, for the first time, that LN biopsies characterised by renal impairment display increased p16INK4a-positive cells, associated with higher fibrosis and CD8+ T cell infiltration. Cellular senescence may represent a kidney-intrinsic disease mechanism and potentially, a novel therapeutic target in LN.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gaëlle Tilman
- Genetics of Autoimmune Diseases and Cancer, de Duve Institute, Université catholique de Louvain, Brussels, Belgium.,Department of Rheumatology, Cliniques universitaires Saint-Luc, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Caroline Bouzin
- IREC Imaging Platform (2IP), Institut de Recherche Expérimentale et Clinique, Université catholique de Louvain, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Selda Aydin
- Department of Pathology, Cliniques Universitaires Saint-Luc, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Farah Tamirou
- Department of Rheumatology, Cliniques universitaires Saint-Luc, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Christine Galant
- Department of Pathology, Cliniques Universitaires Saint-Luc, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Pierre G Coulie
- de Duve Institute, Université catholique de Louvain, Brussels, Belgium.,Walloon Excellence in Life Sciences and Biotechnology, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Frédéric Houssiau
- Department of Rheumatology, Cliniques universitaires Saint-Luc, Brussels, Belgium.,Pôle de pathologies rhumatismales systémiques et inflammatoires, Institut de Recherche Expérimentale et Clinique, Université catholique de Louvain, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Bernard Lauwerys
- Department of Rheumatology, Cliniques universitaires Saint-Luc, Brussels, Belgium.,Pôle de pathologies rhumatismales systémiques et inflammatoires, Institut de Recherche Expérimentale et Clinique, Université catholique de Louvain, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Nisha Limaye
- Genetics of Autoimmune Diseases and Cancer, de Duve Institute, Université catholique de Louvain, Brussels, Belgium
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11
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Parodis I, Houssiau FA. From sequential to combination and personalised therapy in lupus nephritis: moving towards a paradigm shift? Ann Rheum Dis 2021; 81:15-19. [PMID: 34521616 DOI: 10.1136/annrheumdis-2021-221270] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/30/2021] [Accepted: 08/25/2021] [Indexed: 11/04/2022]
Abstract
The current treatment paradigm in lupus nephritis consists of an initial phase aimed at inducing remission and a subsequent remission maintenance phase. With this so-called sequential treatment approach, complete renal response is achieved in a disappointing proportion of 20-30% of the patients within 6-12 months, and 5-20% develop end-stage kidney disease within 10 years. Treat-to-target approaches are detained owing to uncertainty as to whether the target should be determined based on clinical, histopathological, or immunopathological features. Until reliable non-invasive biomarkers exist, tissue-based evaluation remains the gold standard, necessitating repeat kidney biopsies for treatment evaluation and therapeutic decision-making. In this viewpoint, we discuss the pros and cons of voclosporin and belimumab as add-on agents to standard therapy, the first drugs to be licenced for lupus nephritis after recent successful randomised phase III clinical trials. We also discuss the prospect of obinutuzumab and anifrolumab, also on top of standard immunosuppression, currently tested in phase III trials after initial auspicious signals. Undoubtably, the treatment landscape in lupus nephritis is changing, with combination treatment regimens challenging the sequential concept. Meanwhile, the enrichment of the treatment armamentarium shifts the need from lack of therapies to the challenge of how to select the right treatment for the right patient. This has to be addressed in biomarker surveys along with tissue-level mapping of inflammatory phenotypes, which will ultimately lead to person-centred therapeutic approaches. After many years of trial failures, we may now anticipate a heartening future for patients with lupus nephritis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ioannis Parodis
- Division of Rheumatology, Department of Medicine Solna, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.,Department of Gastroenterology, Dermatology and Rheumatology, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden.,Department of Rheumatology, Faculty of Medicine and Health, Örebro University, Örebro, Sweden
| | - Frederic A Houssiau
- Pôle de Pathologies Rhumatismales Inflammatoires et Systémiques, Institut de Recherche Expérimentale et Clinique, Université catholique de Louvain, Brussels, Belgium .,Rheumatology Department, Cliniques Universitaires Saint-Luc, Brussels, Belgium
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12
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Crickx E, Tamirou F, Huscenot T, Costedoat-Chalumeau N, Rabant M, Karras A, Robbins A, Fadeev T, Le Guern V, Remy P, Hummel A, Aydin S, Lauwerys B, Weill JC, Reynaud CA, Houssiau F, Mahévas M. Molecular Signatures of Kidney Antibody-Secreting Cells in Lupus Patients With Active Nephritis Upon Immunosuppressive Therapy. Arthritis Rheumatol 2021; 73:1461-1466. [PMID: 33645886 DOI: 10.1002/art.41703] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/04/2020] [Accepted: 02/18/2021] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE This study was undertaken to characterize kidney and urine antibody-secreting cells (ASCs) from patients with active lupus nephritis, before and after induction therapy. METHODS We included patients with biopsy-proven active lupus nephritis and performed anti-CD138 staining of kidney biopsy samples to visualize ASCs. We performed single-cell gene expression profiling on sorted ASCs from fresh biopsy samples using multiplex reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction. We used a gene set that allowed for the study of ASC maturation from plasmablasts to long-lived plasma cells. We quantified urine ASCs from untreated patients with lupus nephritis at diagnosis and after 6 months of prospective follow-up during induction therapy. RESULTS The number of kidney CD138+ ASCs in 46 untreated patients with lupus nephritis was correlated with a low estimated glomerular filtration rate and with tubulointerstitial damage. Most kidney ASCs from 3 untreated patients had a plasmablast molecular signature; in contrast, in 4 patients with refractory lupus nephritis, the kidney ASCs were mainly long-lived plasma cells, representing an ASC transcriptional profile similar to that in the bone marrow of 2 healthy donors. Some urine ASCs with a plasmablast signature were detected in patients with untreated active lupus nephritis. The presence of urine ASCs at 6 months was associated with treatment failure. CONCLUSION Our results suggest potential for ASC-directed therapy in refractory lupus nephritis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Etienne Crickx
- Institut Necker Enfants Malades, INSERM U1151, CNRS UMS 8253, Université Paris Descartes, Sorbonne Paris Cité, Paris, France, and AP-HP, Hôpital Henri-Mondor, Université Paris-Est, Créteil, France
| | - Farah Tamirou
- Cliniques Universitaires Saint-Luc, Université Catholique de Louvain, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Tessa Huscenot
- Institut Necker Enfants Malades, INSERM U1151, CNRS UMS 8253, Université Paris Descartes, Sorbonne Paris Cité, Paris, France
| | | | - Marion Rabant
- Necker-Enfants Malades Hospital, AP-HP, Paris, France
| | | | - Ailsa Robbins
- Institut Necker Enfants Malades, INSERM U1151, CNRS UMS 8253, Université Paris Descartes, Sorbonne Paris Cité, Paris, France
| | - Tatiana Fadeev
- Institut Necker Enfants Malades, INSERM U1151, CNRS UMS 8253, Université Paris Descartes, Sorbonne Paris Cité, Paris, France
| | | | | | | | - Selda Aydin
- Cliniques Universitaires Saint-Luc, Université Catholique de Louvain, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Bernard Lauwerys
- Cliniques Universitaires Saint-Luc, Université Catholique de Louvain, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Jean-Claude Weill
- Institut Necker Enfants Malades, INSERM U1151, CNRS UMS 8253, Université Paris Descartes, Sorbonne Paris Cité, Paris, France
| | - Claude-Agnès Reynaud
- Institut Necker Enfants Malades, INSERM U1151, CNRS UMS 8253, Université Paris Descartes, Sorbonne Paris Cité, Paris, France
| | - Frédéric Houssiau
- Cliniques Universitaires Saint-Luc, Université Catholique de Louvain, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Matthieu Mahévas
- Institut Necker Enfants Malades, INSERM U1151, CNRS UMS 8253, Université Paris Descartes, Sorbonne Paris Cité, Paris, France, and AP-HP, Hôpital Henri-Mondor, Université Paris-Est, INSERM U955, Institut Mondor de Recherche Biomédicale (IMRB), Université Paris-Est Créteil (UPEC), Créteil, France
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13
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Zhang F, Zhou X, Cui D, Zhang W, Lai J, Li X, Ruan Y, Xie Y, Shi M, Xiao Y, Wang Y, Zhou Y, Guo B. The role of Stim1 in the progression of lupus nephritis in mice. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF CLINICAL AND EXPERIMENTAL PATHOLOGY 2020; 13:3021-3032. [PMID: 33425103 PMCID: PMC7791395] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/16/2020] [Accepted: 10/09/2020] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To investigate the expression of Stim1 in the kidneys of mice with lupus, and the effect of Stim1 on the progression of renal interstitial fibrosis. METHODS Mice (MRL/lpr) with spontaneous lupus nephritis (LN) and normal control mice (C57/BL) were selected. Immunohistochemistry and Masson staining were used to determine the degree of renal interstitial fibrosis in kidney tissues. The expression of Stim1 and fibronectin in tissues was measured by qRT-PCR, western blotting, and immunohistochemistry. Urine protein, blood urea nitrogen, and serum creatinine levels in the mice were analyzed, and Spearman analysis was conducted to determine the correlation with Stim1 expression levels. Mouse renal tubular epithelial cells (mRTECs) were chosen as the experimental objects. After various treatments, the cells were divided into the blank control group, lipopolysaccharide (LPS) treatment group, LPS+siRNA-NC group and LPS+siRNA-Stim1 group. Western blotting and immunofluorescence were used to measure epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT)-related protein levels. RESULTS There was significant interstitial fibrosis in the kidneys of LN mice. Compared with that in normal mice, the expression of Stim1 in the kidney tissues of LN mice was significantly increased, and Stim1 expression was positively correlated with fibronectin, urine protein, blood urea nitrogen and serum creatinine levels. LPS induced the expression of Stim1, fibronectin, and α-SMA in mRTECs and decreased the protein level of E-CA, while silencing Stim1 effectively alleviated the effects of LPS. CONCLUSION Stim1 is significantly increased in the kidneys of lupus mice, and it is possible to promote EMT in renal tubular epithelial cells and renal interstitial fibrosis by elevating fibronectin, which ultimately contributes to renal damage.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fan Zhang
- Department of Pathophysiology, Guizhou Medical UniversityGuiyang 550025, China
- Key Laboratory of Pathogenesis and Drug Research of Common Chronic Diseases in Guizhou Province, Guizhou Medical UniversityGuiyang 550025, China
| | - Xingcheng Zhou
- Department of Pathophysiology, Guizhou Medical UniversityGuiyang 550025, China
- Key Laboratory of Pathogenesis and Drug Research of Common Chronic Diseases in Guizhou Province, Guizhou Medical UniversityGuiyang 550025, China
| | - Daolin Cui
- Department of Pathogenic Biology and Immunology, Qujing Medical CollegeQujing 655000, China
| | - Wei Zhang
- Department of Pathology, Third Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical UniversityGuangzhou 510150, China
| | - Jiao Lai
- Department of Pathophysiology, Guizhou Medical UniversityGuiyang 550025, China
- Key Laboratory of Pathogenesis and Drug Research of Common Chronic Diseases in Guizhou Province, Guizhou Medical UniversityGuiyang 550025, China
| | - Xiaoying Li
- Department of Pathophysiology, Guizhou Medical UniversityGuiyang 550025, China
- Key Laboratory of Pathogenesis and Drug Research of Common Chronic Diseases in Guizhou Province, Guizhou Medical UniversityGuiyang 550025, China
| | - Yuanyuan Ruan
- Department of Pathophysiology, Guizhou Medical UniversityGuiyang 550025, China
- Key Laboratory of Pathogenesis and Drug Research of Common Chronic Diseases in Guizhou Province, Guizhou Medical UniversityGuiyang 550025, China
| | - Ying Xie
- Department of Pathophysiology, Guizhou Medical UniversityGuiyang 550025, China
- Key Laboratory of Pathogenesis and Drug Research of Common Chronic Diseases in Guizhou Province, Guizhou Medical UniversityGuiyang 550025, China
| | - Mingjun Shi
- Department of Pathophysiology, Guizhou Medical UniversityGuiyang 550025, China
- Key Laboratory of Pathogenesis and Drug Research of Common Chronic Diseases in Guizhou Province, Guizhou Medical UniversityGuiyang 550025, China
| | - Ying Xiao
- Department of Pathophysiology, Guizhou Medical UniversityGuiyang 550025, China
- Key Laboratory of Pathogenesis and Drug Research of Common Chronic Diseases in Guizhou Province, Guizhou Medical UniversityGuiyang 550025, China
| | - Yuanyuan Wang
- Department of Pathophysiology, Guizhou Medical UniversityGuiyang 550025, China
- Key Laboratory of Pathogenesis and Drug Research of Common Chronic Diseases in Guizhou Province, Guizhou Medical UniversityGuiyang 550025, China
| | - Yuxia Zhou
- Department of Pathophysiology, Guizhou Medical UniversityGuiyang 550025, China
- Key Laboratory of Pathogenesis and Drug Research of Common Chronic Diseases in Guizhou Province, Guizhou Medical UniversityGuiyang 550025, China
| | - Bing Guo
- Department of Pathophysiology, Guizhou Medical UniversityGuiyang 550025, China
- Key Laboratory of Pathogenesis and Drug Research of Common Chronic Diseases in Guizhou Province, Guizhou Medical UniversityGuiyang 550025, China
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14
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Kinloch AJ, Asano Y, Mohsin A, Henry C, Abraham R, Chang A, Labno C, Wilson PC, Clark MR. Machine Learning to Quantify In Situ Humoral Selection in Human Lupus Tubulointerstitial Inflammation. Front Immunol 2020; 11:593177. [PMID: 33329582 PMCID: PMC7731665 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2020.593177] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/09/2020] [Accepted: 10/27/2020] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
In human lupus nephritis, tubulointerstitial inflammation (TII) is associated with in situ expansion of B cells expressing anti-vimentin antibodies (AVAs). The mechanism by which AVAs are selected is unclear. Herein, we demonstrate that AVA somatic hypermutation (SHM) and selection increase affinity for vimentin. Indeed, germline reversion of several antibodies demonstrated that higher affinity AVAs can be selected from both low affinity B cell germline clones and even those that are strongly reactive with other autoantigens. While we demonstrated affinity maturation, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISAs) suggested that affinity maturation might be a consequence of increasing polyreactivity or even non-specific binding. Therefore, it was unclear if there was also selection for increased specificity. Subsequent multi-color confocal microscopy studies indicated that while TII AVAs often appeared polyreactive by ELISA, they bound selectively to vimentin fibrils in whole cells or inflamed renal tissue. Using a novel machine learning pipeline (CytoSkaler) to quantify the cellular distribution of antibody staining, we demonstrated that TII AVAs were selected for both enhanced binding and specificity in situ. Furthermore, reversion of single predicted amino acids in antibody variable regions indicated that we could use CytoSkaler to capture both negative and positive selection events. More broadly, our data suggest a new approach to assess and define antibody polyreactivity based on quantifying the distribution of binding to native and contextually relevant antigens.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrew J. Kinloch
- Gwen Knapp Center for Lupus and Immunology Research, Section of Rheumatology and Department of Medicine, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, United States
| | - Yuta Asano
- Gwen Knapp Center for Lupus and Immunology Research, Section of Rheumatology and Department of Medicine, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, United States
| | - Azam Mohsin
- Gwen Knapp Center for Lupus and Immunology Research, Section of Rheumatology and Department of Medicine, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, United States
| | - Carole Henry
- Gwen Knapp Center for Lupus and Immunology Research, Section of Rheumatology and Department of Medicine, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, United States
| | - Rebecca Abraham
- Gwen Knapp Center for Lupus and Immunology Research, Section of Rheumatology and Department of Medicine, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, United States
| | - Anthony Chang
- Department of Pathology, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, United States
| | - Christine Labno
- Light Microscopy Core, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, United States
| | - Patrick C. Wilson
- Gwen Knapp Center for Lupus and Immunology Research, Section of Rheumatology and Department of Medicine, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, United States
| | - Marcus R. Clark
- Gwen Knapp Center for Lupus and Immunology Research, Section of Rheumatology and Department of Medicine, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, United States
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15
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Ramanujam M, Steffgen J, Visvanathan S, Mohan C, Fine JS, Putterman C. Phoenix from the flames: Rediscovering the role of the CD40-CD40L pathway in systemic lupus erythematosus and lupus nephritis. Autoimmun Rev 2020; 19:102668. [PMID: 32942031 DOI: 10.1016/j.autrev.2020.102668] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/09/2020] [Accepted: 05/15/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Lupus nephritis (LN) is a significant complication of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), increasing its morbidity and mortality. Although the current standard of care helps suppress disease activity, it is associated with toxicity and ultimately does not cure SLE. At present, there are no therapies specifically indicated for the treatment of LN and there is an unmet need in this disease where treatment remains a challenge. The CD40-CD40L pathway is central to SLE pathogenesis and the generation of autoantibodies and their deposition in the kidneys, resulting in renal injury in patients with LN. CD40 is expressed on immune cells (including B cells, monocytes and dendritic cells) and also non-haematopoietic cells. Interactions between CD40L on T cells and CD40 on B cells in the renal interstitium are critical for the local expansion of naive B cells and autoantibody-producing B cells in LN. CD40L-mediated activation of myeloid cells and resident kidney cells, including endothelial cells, proximal tubular epithelial cells, podocytes and mesangial cells, further amplifies the inflammatory milieu in the interstitium and the glomeruli. Several studies have highlighted the upregulated expression of CD40 in LN kidney biopsies, and preclinical data have demonstrated the importance of the CD40-CD40L pathway in murine SLE and LN. Blocking this pathway is expected to ameliorate inflammation driven by infiltrating immune cells and resident kidney cells. Initial experimental therapeutic interventions targeting the CD40-CD40L pathway, based on CD40L antibodies, were associated with an increased incidence of thrombosis. However, this safety issue has not been observed with second-generation CD40/CD40L antibodies that have been engineered to prevent platelet activation. With these advancements, together with recent preclinical and clinical findings, it is anticipated that selective blockade of the CD40-CD40L pathway may address the unmet treatment needs in SLE, LN and other autoimmune diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Meera Ramanujam
- Immunology & Respiratory Diseases Research, Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals Inc., Ridgefield, CT, USA; Institute of Infection, Immunity and Inflammation, University of Glasgow, UK.
| | - Jürgen Steffgen
- TA Inflammation Medicine, Boehringer Ingelheim, International GmbH, Biberach, Germany; Department of Nephrology and Rheumatology, Georg-August University of Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Sudha Visvanathan
- Translational Medicine and Clinical Pharmacology, Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals Inc., Ridgefield, CT, USA
| | - Chandra Mohan
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Houston, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Jay S Fine
- Immunology & Respiratory Diseases Research, Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals Inc., Ridgefield, CT, USA
| | - Chaim Putterman
- Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, USA; Azrieli School of Medicine, Bar-Ilan Universtiy, Zefat, Israel; Research Institute, Galilee Medical Center, Nahariya, Israel.
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16
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Dorraji SE, Kanapathippillai P, Hovd AMK, Stenersrød MR, Horvei KD, Ursvik A, Figenschau SL, Thiyagarajan D, Fenton CG, Pedersen HL, Fenton KA. Kidney Tertiary Lymphoid Structures in Lupus Nephritis Develop into Large Interconnected Networks and Resemble Lymph Nodes in Gene Signature. THE AMERICAN JOURNAL OF PATHOLOGY 2020; 190:2203-2225. [PMID: 32818496 DOI: 10.1016/j.ajpath.2020.07.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/18/2019] [Revised: 06/30/2020] [Accepted: 07/20/2020] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
Immune aggregates organized as tertiary lymphoid structures (TLS) are observed within the kidneys of patients with systemic lupus erythematosus and lupus nephritis (LN). Renal TLS was characterized in lupus-prone New Zealand black × New Zealand white F1 mice analyzing cell composition and vessel formation. RNA sequencing was performed on transcriptomes isolated from lymph nodes, macrodissected TLS from kidneys, and total kidneys of mice at different disease stages by using a personal genome machine and RNA sequencing. Formation of TLS was found in anti-double-stranded DNA antibody-positive mice, and the structures were organized as interconnected large networks with distinct T/B cell zones with adjacent dendritic cells, macrophages, plasma cells, high endothelial venules, supporting follicular dendritic cells network, and functional germinal centers. Comparison of gene profiles of whole kidney, renal TLS, and lymph nodes revealed a similar gene signature of TLS and lymph nodes. The up-regulated genes within the kidneys of lupus-prone mice during LN development reflected TLS formation, whereas the down-regulated genes were involved in metabolic processes of the kidney cells. A comparison with human LN gene expression revealed similar up-regulated genes as observed during the development of murine LN and TLS. In conclusion, kidney TLS have a similar cell composition, structure, and gene signature as lymph nodes and therefore may function as a kidney-specific type of lymph node.
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Affiliation(s)
- Seyed Esmaeil Dorraji
- RNA and Molecular Pathology Research Group, Department of Medical Biology, Faculty of Health Science, UiT Arctic University of Norway, Tromsø, Norway
| | - Premasany Kanapathippillai
- RNA and Molecular Pathology Research Group, Department of Medical Biology, Faculty of Health Science, UiT Arctic University of Norway, Tromsø, Norway
| | - Aud-Malin Karlsson Hovd
- RNA and Molecular Pathology Research Group, Department of Medical Biology, Faculty of Health Science, UiT Arctic University of Norway, Tromsø, Norway
| | - Mikael Ryan Stenersrød
- RNA and Molecular Pathology Research Group, Department of Medical Biology, Faculty of Health Science, UiT Arctic University of Norway, Tromsø, Norway
| | - Kjersti Daae Horvei
- RNA and Molecular Pathology Research Group, Department of Medical Biology, Faculty of Health Science, UiT Arctic University of Norway, Tromsø, Norway
| | - Anita Ursvik
- RNA and Molecular Pathology Research Group, Department of Medical Biology, Faculty of Health Science, UiT Arctic University of Norway, Tromsø, Norway
| | - Stine Linn Figenschau
- RNA and Molecular Pathology Research Group, Department of Medical Biology, Faculty of Health Science, UiT Arctic University of Norway, Tromsø, Norway
| | - Dhivya Thiyagarajan
- RNA and Molecular Pathology Research Group, Department of Medical Biology, Faculty of Health Science, UiT Arctic University of Norway, Tromsø, Norway
| | - Christopher Graham Fenton
- Genomic Support Center, Department of Clinical Biology, Faculty of Health Science, UiT Arctic University of Norway, Tromso, Norway
| | - Hege Lynum Pedersen
- RNA and Molecular Pathology Research Group, Department of Medical Biology, Faculty of Health Science, UiT Arctic University of Norway, Tromsø, Norway
| | - Kristin Andreassen Fenton
- RNA and Molecular Pathology Research Group, Department of Medical Biology, Faculty of Health Science, UiT Arctic University of Norway, Tromsø, Norway.
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17
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De Groof A, Ducreux J, Aleva F, Long AJ, Ferster A, van der Ven A, van de Veerdonk F, Houssiau FA, Lauwerys BR. STAT3 phosphorylation mediates the stimulatory effects of interferon alpha on B cell differentiation and activation in SLE. Rheumatology (Oxford) 2020; 59:668-677. [PMID: 31504941 DOI: 10.1093/rheumatology/kez354] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/05/2019] [Revised: 07/05/2019] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Type I IFNs play a well-known role in the pathogenesis of SLE, through activation of CD4 T and antigen-presenting cells. Here, we investigated the effects of IFN alpha (IFNα) on SLE B cell activation and differentiation. METHODS Peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) and purified total or naïve B cells were obtained from healthy controls and SLE patients. The effects of IFNα on B cell differentiation were studied by flow cytometry. The role of STAT3 in B cell responses to IFNα was studied using pharmacological inhibitors and PBMCs from STAT3-deficient individuals. RESULTS Incubation of normal PBMCs with IFNα induces a B cell differentiation pattern as observed spontaneously in SLE PBMCs. IFNα displays direct stimulatory effects on purified naïve B cells from healthy individuals, as evidenced by a significant induction of cell surface CD38 and CD95 in the presence of the cytokine. In purified naïve B cells, IFNα also induces STAT3 phosphorylation. IFNα-induced naïve B cell differentiation in total PBMCs is significantly inhibited in the presence of STAT3 inhibitors, or in PBMCs from individuals with STAT3 loss of function mutations. Spontaneous levels of STAT3, but not STAT1, phosphorylation are significantly higher in total B cells from SLE patients compared with controls. Pharmacological STAT3 inhibition in SLE PBMCs inhibits naïve B cell activation and differentiation. CONCLUSION IFNα displays direct stimulatory effects on B cell differentiation and activation in SLE. STAT3 phosphorylation mediates the effects of IFNα stimulation in naïve B cells, an observation that opens new therapeutic perspectives in SLE.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aurélie De Groof
- Pôle de pathologies rhumatismales inflammatoires et systémiques, Institut de Recherche Expérimentale et Cliniques, Université catholique de Louvain, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Julie Ducreux
- Pôle de pathologies rhumatismales inflammatoires et systémiques, Institut de Recherche Expérimentale et Cliniques, Université catholique de Louvain, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Floor Aleva
- Department of General Internal Medicine, Radboud University, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Andrew J Long
- Department of Pharmacology, Abbvie Bioresearch Center, Worcester, MA, USA
| | - Alina Ferster
- Service d'Onco-Hématologie, Hôpital Reine Fabiola, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Andre van der Ven
- Department of General Internal Medicine, Radboud University, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Frank van de Veerdonk
- Department of General Internal Medicine, Radboud University, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Frédéric A Houssiau
- Pôle de pathologies rhumatismales inflammatoires et systémiques, Institut de Recherche Expérimentale et Cliniques, Université catholique de Louvain, Brussels, Belgium.,Service de Rhumatologie, Cliniques Universitaires Saint-Luc, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Bernard R Lauwerys
- Pôle de pathologies rhumatismales inflammatoires et systémiques, Institut de Recherche Expérimentale et Cliniques, Université catholique de Louvain, Brussels, Belgium.,Service de Rhumatologie, Cliniques Universitaires Saint-Luc, Brussels, Belgium
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18
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Nicolaou O, Sokratous K, Makowska Z, Morell M, De Groof A, Montigny P, Hadjisavvas A, Michailidou K, Oulas A, Spyrou GM, Demetriou C, Alarcón-Riquelme ME, Psarellis S, Kousios A, Lauwerys B, Kyriacou K. Proteomic analysis in lupus mice identifies Coronin-1A as a potential biomarker for lupus nephritis. Arthritis Res Ther 2020; 22:147. [PMID: 32552896 PMCID: PMC7301983 DOI: 10.1186/s13075-020-02236-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/18/2020] [Accepted: 06/03/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Approximately 50% of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) patients develop nephritis, which is among the most severe and frequent complications of the disease and a leading cause of morbidity and mortality. Despite intensive research, there are still no reliable lupus nephritis (LN) markers in clinical use that can assess renal damage and activity with a high sensitivity and specificity. To this end, the aim of this study was to identify new clinically relevant tissue-specific protein biomarkers and possible underlying molecular mechanisms associated with renal involvement in SLE, using mass spectrometry (MS)-based proteomics. METHODS Kidneys were harvested from female triple congenic B6.NZMsle1/sle2/sle3 lupus mice model, and the respective sex- and age-matched C57BL/6 control mice at 12, 24 and 36 weeks of age, representing pre-symptomatic, established and end-stage LN, respectively. Proteins were extracted from kidneys, purified, reduced, alkylated and digested by trypsin. Purified peptides were separated by liquid chromatography and analysed by high-resolution MS. Data were processed by the Progenesis QIp software, and functional annotation analysis was performed using DAVID bioinformatics resources. Immunofluorescence and multiple reaction monitoring (MRM) MS methods were used to confirm prospective biomarkers in SLE mouse strains as well as human serum samples. RESULTS Proteomic profiling of kidney tissues from SLE and control mice resulted in the identification of more than 3800 unique proteins. Pathway analysis revealed a number of dysregulated molecular pathways that may be mechanistically involved in renal pathology, including phagosome and proximal tubule bicarbonate reclamation pathways. Proteomic analysis supported by human transcriptomic data and pathway analysis revealed Coronin-1A, Ubiquitin-like protein ISG15, and Rho GDP-dissociation inhibitor 2, as potential LN biomarkers. These results were further validated in other SLE mouse strains using MRM-MS. Most importantly, experiments in humans showed that measurement of Coronin-1A in human sera using MRM-MS can segregate LN patients from SLE patients without nephritis with a high sensitivity (100%) and specificity (100%). CONCLUSIONS These preliminary findings suggest that serum Coronin-1A may serve as a promising non-invasive biomarker for LN and, upon validation in larger cohorts, may be employed in the future as a screening test for renal disease in SLE patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Orthodoxia Nicolaou
- Department of Electron Microscopy/Molecular Pathology, The Cyprus Institute of Neurology and Genetics, Iroon Avenue 6, Agios Dometios, 2371, P.O. Box 23462 / 1683, Nicosia, Cyprus
- Cyprus School of Molecular Medicine, Iroon Avenue 6, Agios Dometios, 2371, P.O. Box 23462 / 1683, Nicosia, Cyprus
| | - Kleitos Sokratous
- Department of Electron Microscopy/Molecular Pathology, The Cyprus Institute of Neurology and Genetics, Iroon Avenue 6, Agios Dometios, 2371, P.O. Box 23462 / 1683, Nicosia, Cyprus
- Bioinformatics Group, The Cyprus Institute of Neurology and Genetics, Nicosia, Cyprus
- Present Address: OMass Therapeutics, The Schrödinger Building, Heatley Road, The Oxford Science Park, Oxford, OX4 4GE, UK
| | | | - María Morell
- Genomic Medicine Department, Centre for Genomics and Oncological Research (GENYO), Pfizer-University of Granada-Andalusian Regional Government, Granada, Spain
| | - Aurélie De Groof
- Institut de Recherche Expérimentale et Clinique, Université catholique de Louvain, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Pauline Montigny
- Institut de Recherche Expérimentale et Clinique, Université catholique de Louvain, Brussels, Belgium
- CHU UCL Namur, Yvoir, Belgium
| | - Andreas Hadjisavvas
- Department of Electron Microscopy/Molecular Pathology, The Cyprus Institute of Neurology and Genetics, Iroon Avenue 6, Agios Dometios, 2371, P.O. Box 23462 / 1683, Nicosia, Cyprus
- Cyprus School of Molecular Medicine, Iroon Avenue 6, Agios Dometios, 2371, P.O. Box 23462 / 1683, Nicosia, Cyprus
| | - Kyriaki Michailidou
- Cyprus School of Molecular Medicine, Iroon Avenue 6, Agios Dometios, 2371, P.O. Box 23462 / 1683, Nicosia, Cyprus
- Biostatistics Unit, The Cyprus Institute of Neurology and Genetics, Nicosia, Cyprus
| | - Anastasis Oulas
- Cyprus School of Molecular Medicine, Iroon Avenue 6, Agios Dometios, 2371, P.O. Box 23462 / 1683, Nicosia, Cyprus
- Bioinformatics Group, The Cyprus Institute of Neurology and Genetics, Nicosia, Cyprus
| | - George M Spyrou
- Cyprus School of Molecular Medicine, Iroon Avenue 6, Agios Dometios, 2371, P.O. Box 23462 / 1683, Nicosia, Cyprus
- Bioinformatics Group, The Cyprus Institute of Neurology and Genetics, Nicosia, Cyprus
| | - Christiana Demetriou
- Department of Primary Care and Population Health, University of Nicosia Medical School, Nicosia, Cyprus
| | - Marta E Alarcón-Riquelme
- Genomic Medicine Department, Centre for Genomics and Oncological Research (GENYO), Pfizer-University of Granada-Andalusian Regional Government, Granada, Spain
- Unit of Immunology and Chronic Disease, Institute of Environmental Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Savvas Psarellis
- Department of Rheumatology, Nicosia General Hospital, Nicosia, Cyprus
| | - Andreas Kousios
- Renal and Transplant Centre Hammersmith Hospital Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust, London, UK
| | - Bernard Lauwerys
- Institut de Recherche Expérimentale et Clinique, Université catholique de Louvain, Brussels, Belgium
- Department of Rheumatology, Cliniques Universitaires Saint-Luc, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Kyriacos Kyriacou
- Department of Electron Microscopy/Molecular Pathology, The Cyprus Institute of Neurology and Genetics, Iroon Avenue 6, Agios Dometios, 2371, P.O. Box 23462 / 1683, Nicosia, Cyprus.
- Cyprus School of Molecular Medicine, Iroon Avenue 6, Agios Dometios, 2371, P.O. Box 23462 / 1683, Nicosia, Cyprus.
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19
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Abstract
PURPOSE OF REVIEW Update on the diagnosis, treatment, and monitoring of lupus nephritis. RECENT FINDINGS The recent criteria enable the earlier classification of lupus nephritis based on kidney biopsy and compatible serology. Treatment of active nephritis includes low-dose intravenous cyclophosphamide or mycophenolate, followed by maintenance immunosuppression. Recent trials have suggested superiority of regimens combining mycophenolate with either calcineurin inhibitor or belimumab, although their long-term benefit/risk ratio has not been determined. Encouraging results with novel anti-CD20 antibodies confirm the effectiveness of B cell depletion. Achievement of low-grade proteinuria (< 700-800 mg/24 h) at 12-month post-induction is linked to favorable long-term outcomes and could be considered in a treat-to-target strategy. Also, repeat kidney biopsy can guide the duration of maintenance immunosuppression. Lupus nephritis has increased cardiovascular disease burden necessitating risk-reduction strategies. An expanding spectrum of therapies coupled with ongoing basic/translational research can lead to individualized medical care and improved outcomes in lupus nephritis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Myrto Kostopoulou
- 4th Department of Internal Medicine, Attikon University Hospital, Joint Rheumatology Program, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens Medical School, Athens, Greece
| | - Christina Adamichou
- 4th Department of Internal Medicine, Hippokration University Hospital, Medical School, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, Greece
- Department of Rheumatology, Clinical Rheumatology and Allergy, University of Crete Medical School, 71008 Voutes-Stavrakia, Heraklion, Greece
| | - George Bertsias
- Department of Rheumatology, Clinical Rheumatology and Allergy, University of Crete Medical School, 71008 Voutes-Stavrakia, Heraklion, Greece.
- Laboratory of Rheumatology, Autoimmunity and Inflammation, Institute of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology-FORTH, Heraklion, Greece.
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20
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Update on the cellular and molecular aspects of lupus nephritis. Clin Immunol 2020; 216:108445. [PMID: 32344016 DOI: 10.1016/j.clim.2020.108445] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/24/2020] [Revised: 03/26/2020] [Accepted: 04/23/2020] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
Recent progress has highlighted the involvement of a variety of innate and adaptive immune cells in lupus nephritis. These include activated neutrophils producing extracellular chromatin traps that induce type I interferon production and endothelial injury, metabolically-rewired IL-17-producing T-cells causing tissue inflammation, follicular and extra-follicular helper T-cells promoting the maturation of autoantibody-producing B-cells that may also sustain the formation of germinal centers, and alternatively activated monocytes/macrophages participating in tissue repair and remodeling. The role of resident cells such as podocytes and tubular epithelial cells is increasingly recognized in regulating the local immune responses and determining the kidney function and integrity. These findings are corroborated by advanced, high-throughput genomic studies, which have revealed an unprecedented amount of data highlighting the molecular heterogeneity of immune and non-immune cells implicated in lupus kidney disease. Importantly, this research has led to the discovery of putative pathogenic pathways, enabling the rationale design of novel treatments.
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21
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Wardowska A, Komorniczak M, Skoniecka A, Bułło-Piontecka B, Lisowska KA, Dębska-Ślizień MA, Pikuła M. Alterations in peripheral blood B cells in systemic lupus erythematosus patients with renal insufficiency. Int Immunopharmacol 2020; 83:106451. [PMID: 32248020 DOI: 10.1016/j.intimp.2020.106451] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/17/2020] [Revised: 03/25/2020] [Accepted: 03/25/2020] [Indexed: 01/14/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is one of the autoimmune diseases, believed to be closely related to hyperactivity of B cells, overproduction of autoantibodies and immune complex formation and deposition in affected tissue. The autoreactive inflammation leads to multiorgan damage with kidney dysfunction in the forefront. Studies on lupus nephritis (LN), affecting the majority of SLE patients, are mainly focused on cells causing local inflammation. The aim of our work was to detect alterations in more accessible peripheral blood B cells in the course of SLE focusing on the influence of renal insufficiency (RI) on those parameters. METHODS We performed a comprehensive flow cytometry analysis of B cell subpopulations, analyzed gene expression patterns with qPCR, and examined serum cytokine levels with multiplex cytokine/chemokine assay. RESULTS We discovered distribution of specific B cell subsets, especially CD38+ cells, plasmablasts, associated with the presence and severity of the disease. Changes in expression of MBD2, DNMT1 and APRIL genes were not only associated with activity of SLE but also were significantly changed in patients with RI. CONCLUSIONS All these results shed new light on the role of circulating B cells, their subpopulations, function, and activity in the SLE with kidney manifestation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna Wardowska
- Laboratory of Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine, Department of Embryology, Medical University of Gdansk, Gdansk, Poland.
| | - Michał Komorniczak
- Department of Nephrology, Transplantology and Internal Diseases, Medical University of Gdansk, Gdansk, Poland
| | - Aneta Skoniecka
- Laboratory of Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine, Department of Embryology, Medical University of Gdansk, Gdansk, Poland
| | - Barbara Bułło-Piontecka
- Department of Nephrology, Transplantology and Internal Diseases, Medical University of Gdansk, Gdansk, Poland
| | | | - M Alicja Dębska-Ślizień
- Department of Nephrology, Transplantology and Internal Diseases, Medical University of Gdansk, Gdansk, Poland
| | - Michał Pikuła
- Laboratory of Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine, Department of Embryology, Medical University of Gdansk, Gdansk, Poland
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22
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Kinloch AJ, Cascino MD, Dai J, Bermea RS, Ko K, Vesselits M, Dragone LL, Mor Vaknin N, Legendre M, Markovitz DM, Okoreeh MK, Townsend MJ, Clark MR. Anti-vimentin antibodies: a unique antibody class associated with therapy-resistant lupus nephritis. Lupus 2020; 29:569-577. [PMID: 32216516 DOI: 10.1177/0961203320913606] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Background Tubulointerstitial inflammation (TII) in lupus nephritis is associated with a worse prognosis. Vimentin, a filamental antigen, is commonly targeted by in situ activated B-cells in TII. The prognostic importance of high serum anti-vimentin antibodies (AVAs) in lupus nephritis and their relationship with common lupus autoantibody specificities is unknown. Herein we investigated associations between AVA isotypes, other autoantibodies, and response to mycophenolate mofetil (MMF) in the presence or absence of rituximab. Methods The Translational Research Initiative in the Department of Medicine (TRIDOM) cross-sectional cohort of 99 lupus patients was assayed for IgG-, IgA- and IgM- AVAs, lupus-associated and rheumatoid arthritis-associated antibodies, and hierarchically clustered. Serum from baseline, 26 and 52 weeks from 132 Lupus Nephritis Assessment with Rituximab (LUNAR) trial enrolled lupus nephritis patients was also analysed and correlated with renal function up to week 78. Results In TRIDOM, AVAs, especially IgM AVAs, clustered with IgG anti-dsDNA and away from anti-Sm and -RNP and rheumatoid arthritis-associated antibodies. In LUNAR at baseline, AVAs correlated weakly with anti-dsDNA and more strongly with anticardiolipin titers. Regardless of treatment, IgG-, but not IgM- or IgA-, AVAs were higher at week 52 than at baseline. In contrast, anti-dsDNA titers declined, regardless of therapeutic regime. High IgG AVA titers at entry predicted less response to therapy. Conclusion AVAs, especially IgG AVAs, are unique in distribution and response to therapy compared with other commonly measured autoantibody specificities. Furthermore, high-titer IgG AVAs identify lupus nephritis patients resistant to conventional therapies. These data suggest that AVAs represent an independent class of prognostic autoantibodies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrew J Kinloch
- Gwen Knapp Center for Lupus and Immunology Research, University of Chicago, Section of Rheumatology and Department of Medicine, Chicago, USA
| | - Matthew D Cascino
- Product Development I20, Genentech Research & Early Development, South San Francisco, USA
| | - Jian Dai
- Early Clinical Development Informatics, Genentech Research & Early Development, South San Francisco, USA
| | - Rene S Bermea
- University of Chicago, Section of Rheumatology and Department of Medicine, Chicago, USA
| | - Kichul Ko
- University of Chicago, Section of Rheumatology and Department of Medicine, Chicago, USA
| | - Margaret Vesselits
- Gwen Knapp Center for Lupus and Immunology Research, University of Chicago, Section of Rheumatology and Department of Medicine, Chicago, USA
| | - Leonard L Dragone
- Early Development, Infectious Disease, The Janssen Pharmaceutical Companies of Johnson & Johnson, South San Francisco, California
| | - Nirit Mor Vaknin
- Department of Internal Medicine, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, USA
| | - Maureen Legendre
- Department of Internal Medicine, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, USA
| | - David M Markovitz
- Department of Internal Medicine, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, USA
| | - Michael K Okoreeh
- Gwen Knapp Center for Lupus and Immunology Research, University of Chicago, Section of Rheumatology and Department of Medicine, Chicago, USA
| | - Michael J Townsend
- Biomarker Discovery OMNI, Genentech Research & Early Development, South San Francisco, USA
| | - Marcus R Clark
- Gwen Knapp Center for Lupus and Immunology Research, University of Chicago, Section of Rheumatology and Department of Medicine, Chicago, USA.,University of Chicago, Section of Rheumatology and Department of Medicine, Chicago, USA
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23
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Parodis I, Tamirou F, Houssiau FA. Prediction of prognosis and renal outcome in lupus nephritis. Lupus Sci Med 2020; 7:e000389. [PMID: 32153796 PMCID: PMC7046967 DOI: 10.1136/lupus-2020-000389] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/04/2020] [Accepted: 02/06/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Lupus nephritis (LN) is a severe manifestation of SLE, characterised by subendothelial and/or subepithelial immune complex depositions in the afflicted kidney, resulting in extensive injury and nephron loss during the acute phase and eventually chronic irreversible damage and renal function impairment if not treated effectively. The therapeutic management of LN has improved during the last decades, but the imperative need for consensual outcome measures remains. In order to design trials with success potentiality, it is important to define clinically important short-term and long-term targets of therapeutic and non-therapeutic intervention. While it is known that early response to treatment is coupled with favourable renal outcomes, early predictors of renal function impairment are lacking. The information gleaned from kidney biopsies may provide important insights in this direction. Alas, baseline clinical and histopathological information has not been shown to be informative. By contrast, accumulating evidence of pronounced discrepancies between clinical and histopathological outcomes after the initial phase of immunosuppression has prompted investigations of the potential usefulness of per-protocol repeat kidney biopsies as an integral part of treatment evaluation, including patients showing adequate clinical response. This approach appears to have merit. Hopefully, clinical, molecular or genetic markers that reliably reflect kidney histopathology and portend the long-term prognosis will be identified. Novel non-invasive imaging methods and employment of the evolving artificial intelligence in pattern recognition may also be helpful towards these goals. The molecular and cellular characterisation of SLE and LN will hopefully result in novel therapeutic modalities, maybe new taxonomy perspectives, and ultimately personalised management.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ioannis Parodis
- Division of Rheumatology, Department of Medicine Solna, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
- Rheumatology, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Farah Tamirou
- Pôle de Pathologies Rhumatismales Inflammatoires et Systémiques, Institut de Recherche Expérimentale et Clinique, Université catholique de Louvain, Brussels, Belgium
- Rheumatology Department, Cliniques universitaires Saint-Luc, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Frédéric A Houssiau
- Pôle de Pathologies Rhumatismales Inflammatoires et Systémiques, Institut de Recherche Expérimentale et Clinique, Université catholique de Louvain, Brussels, Belgium
- Rheumatology Department, Cliniques universitaires Saint-Luc, Brussels, Belgium
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24
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Rao DA, Arazi A, Wofsy D, Diamond B. Design and application of single-cell RNA sequencing to study kidney immune cells in lupus nephritis. Nat Rev Nephrol 2019; 16:238-250. [PMID: 31853010 DOI: 10.1038/s41581-019-0232-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 11/13/2019] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
The immune mechanisms that cause tissue injury in lupus nephritis have been challenging to define. The advent of high-dimensional cellular analyses, such as single-cell RNA sequencing, has enabled detailed characterization of the cell populations present in small biopsy samples of kidney tissue. In parallel, the development of methods that cryopreserve kidney biopsy specimens in a manner that preserves intact, viable cells, has enabled the uniform analysis of tissue samples collected at multiple sites and across many geographic areas and demographic cohorts with high-dimensional platforms. The application of these methods to kidney biopsy samples from patients with lupus nephritis has begun to define the phenotypes of both infiltrating and resident immune cells, as well as parenchymal cells, present in nephritic kidneys. The detection of similar immune cell populations in urine suggests that it might be possible to non-invasively monitor immune activation in kidneys. Once applied to large patient cohorts, these high-dimensional studies might enable patient stratification according to patterns of immune cell activation in the kidney or identify disease features that can be used as surrogate measures of efficacy in clinical trials. Applied broadly across multiple inflammatory kidney diseases, these studies promise to enormously expand our understanding of renal inflammation in the next decade.
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Affiliation(s)
- Deepak A Rao
- Division of Rheumatology, Inflammation, and Immunity, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Arnon Arazi
- Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - David Wofsy
- Rheumatology Division and Russell/Engleman Research Center, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Betty Diamond
- Center for Autoimmune, Musculoskeletal and Hematopoietic Diseases, The Feinstein Institute for Medical Research, Northwell Health, Manhasset, NY, USA.
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25
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Cao Y, Tang W, Tang W. Immune cell infiltration characteristics and related core genes in lupus nephritis: results from bioinformatic analysis. BMC Immunol 2019; 20:37. [PMID: 31638917 PMCID: PMC6805654 DOI: 10.1186/s12865-019-0316-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 49] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/17/2019] [Accepted: 09/11/2019] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Lupus nephritis (LN) is a common complication of systemic lupus erythematosus that presents a high risk of end-stage renal disease. In the present study, we used CIBERSORT and gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA) of gene expression profiles to identify immune cell infiltration characteristics and related core genes in LN. RESULTS Datasets from the Gene Expression Omnibus, GSE32591 and GSE113342, were downloaded for further analysis. The GSE32591 dataset, which included 32 LN glomerular biopsy tissues and 14 glomerular tissues from living donors, was analyzed by CIBERSORT. Different immune cell types in LN were analyzed by the Limma software. Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway analysis based on GSEA were performed by clusterProfiler software. Lists of core genes were derived from Spearman correlation between the most significant GO term and differentially expressed immune cell gene from CIBERSORT. GSE113342 was employed to validate the association between selected core genes and clinical manifestation. Five types of immune cells revealed important associations with LN, and monocytes emerged as having the most prominent differences. GO and KEGG analyses indicated that immune response pathways are significantly enriched in LN. The Spearman correlation indicated that 15 genes, including FCER1G, CLEC7A, MARCO, CLEC7A, PSMB9, and PSMB8, were closely related to clinical features. CONCLUSIONS This study is the first to identify immune cell infiltration with microarray data of glomeruli in LN by using CIBERSORT analysis and provides novel evidence and clues for further research of the molecular mechanisms of LN.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yiling Cao
- Department of Nephrology, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, No.37, Guoxue alley, Chengdu, 610000, Sichuan, China
| | - Weihao Tang
- Chengdu Foreign Language School, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Wanxin Tang
- Department of Nephrology, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, No.37, Guoxue alley, Chengdu, 610000, Sichuan, China.
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26
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Fu D, Senouthai S, Wang J, You Y. FKN Facilitates HK-2 Cell EMT and Tubulointerstitial Lesions via the Wnt/β-Catenin Pathway in a Murine Model of Lupus Nephritis. Front Immunol 2019; 10:784. [PMID: 31134047 PMCID: PMC6524725 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2019.00784] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/26/2018] [Accepted: 03/25/2019] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Fractalkine (FKN), also known as chemokine (C-X3-C motif) ligand 1, constitutes an intriguing chemokine with a documented role in the development of numerous inflammatory diseases including autoimmune disease. Specifically, it has been reported that FKN is involved in the disease progression of lupus nephritis (LN). The epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) plays a significant role in the formation of tubulointerstitial lesions (TIL), which are increasingly recognized as a hallmark of tissue fibrogenesis after injury. However, the correlation between FKN and EMT or TIL in LN has not been determined. To investigate the potential role of FKN in EMT and TIL, MRL lymphoproliferation (MRL/lpr) strain mice were treated with an anti-FKN antibody, recombinant-FKN chemokine domain, or isotype antibody. Our results revealed that treatment with the anti-FKN antibody improved EMT, TIL, and renal function in MRL/lpr mice, along with inhibiting activation of the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway. In contrast, administration of the recombinant-FKN chemokine domain had the opposite effect. Furthermore, to further explore the roles of FKN in EMT, we assessed the levels of EMT markers in FKN-depleted or overexpressing human proximal tubule epithelial HK-2 cells. Our results provide the first evidence that the E-cadherin level was upregulated, whereas α-SMA and vimentin expression was downregulated in FKN-depleted HK-2 cells. In contrast, overexpression of FKN in HK-2 cells enhanced EMT. In addition, inhibition of the Wnt/β-catenin pathway by XAV939 negated the effect of FKN overexpression, whereas activation of the Wnt/β-catenin pathway by Ang II impaired the effect of the FKN knockout on EMT in HK-2 cells. Together, our data indicate that FKN plays essential roles in the EMT progression and development of TIL in MRL/lpr mice, most likely through activation of the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dongdong Fu
- Department of Nephrology, Affiliated Hospital of Youjiang Medical University for Nationalities, Baise, China
| | - Soulixay Senouthai
- Department of Nephrology, Affiliated Hospital of Youjiang Medical University for Nationalities, Baise, China
| | - Junjie Wang
- Department of Nephrology, Affiliated Hospital of Youjiang Medical University for Nationalities, Baise, China
| | - Yanwu You
- Department of Nephrology, Affiliated Hospital of Youjiang Medical University for Nationalities, Baise, China
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27
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Tsujimura S, Tanaka Y. Treatment with Methotrexate and Intravenous Cyclophosphamide Pulse Therapy Regulates the P-gp +CD4 + Cell-related Pathogenesis in a Representative Patient with Refractory Proliferative Lupus Nephritis. Intern Med 2019; 58:3173-3178. [PMID: 31685786 PMCID: PMC6875445 DOI: 10.2169/internalmedicine.2589-18] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
Diffuse proliferative lupus nephritis (DPLN) is a serious organ complication. Drug resistance correlates with P-glycoprotein (P-gp) expression on activated lymphocytes. We encountered a refractory DPLN patient with expansion of peripheral CD69/CXCR3-co-expressing P-gp+CD4+ cells producing IL-2 and IL-6. Treatment with high-dose corticosteroid combined with biweekly intravenous cyclophosphamide pulse therapy (IVCY) failed to reduce the population of activated P-gp+CD4+ cells or control the disease activity. Methotrexate (MTX) with monthly IVCY reduced activated P-gp+CD4+ cells and improved the clinical symptoms, resulting in long-term remission and tapering of corticosteroids. MTX-IVCY combination therapy, which down-regulates the activated P-gp+CD4+ cell-mediated disease activity, may be useful for the treatment of refractory DPLN.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shizuyo Tsujimura
- The First Department of Internal Medicine, University of Occupational & Environmental Health, School of Medicine, Japan
| | - Yoshiya Tanaka
- The First Department of Internal Medicine, University of Occupational & Environmental Health, School of Medicine, Japan
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