Abatacept in spondyloarthritis refractory to tumour necrosis factor α inhibition: Figure 1

Monocytes and Macrophages in Spondyloarthritis: Functional Roles and Effects of Current Therapies

Spondyloarthritis (SpA) is a family of chronic inflammatory diseases, being the most prevalent ankylosing spondylitis (AS) and psoriatic arthritis (PsA). These diseases share genetic, clinical and immunological features, such as the implication of human leukocyte antigen (HLA) class I molecule 27 (HLA-B27), the inflammation of peripheral, spine and sacroiliac joints and the presence of extra-articular manifestations (psoriasis, anterior uveitis, enthesitis and inflammatory bowel disease). Monocytes and macrophages are essential cells of the innate immune system and are the first line of defence against external agents. In rheumatic diseases including SpA, the frequency and phenotypic and functional characteristics of both cell types are deregulated and are involved in the pathogenesis of these diseases. In fact, monocytes and macrophages play key roles in the inflammatory processes characteristics of SpA. The aim of this review is analysing the characteristics and functional roles of monocytes and macrophages in these diseases, as well as the impact of different current therapies on these cell types.

An Update for the Clinician on Biologics for the Treatment of Psoriatic Arthritis

Psoriatic arthritis (PsA) is a chronic inflammatory arthropathy typically associated with psoriasis (PsO). The pathogenesis is strictly related to the association among the presence of genetic risk alleles and innate and acquired immune response with dramatic consequences on bone remodeling. Clinically, PsA patients may present heterogenicity of articular and periarticular manifestations that may be associated with the presence of comorbidities making treatment decision challenging in patients management. The identification of patient-targeted therapies is still a critical issue. Actually, several biological and synthetic drugs are promising in terms of efficacy and safety profile. National and international treatment recommendations support clinicians in the decision of the best treatment, although they may have limits basically related to updates and different outcomes included in the clinical studies evaluated. The aim of this narrative review is therefore to give guidance for clinicians for PsA patients treatment. For this purpose, we evaluated evidence on biological therapies efficacy used for PsA treatment. Specifically, we reviewed data on biological therapies, Janus kinases (JAK) inhibitors, and drugs with a new mechanism of action that are part of the treatment pipeline. The concept of "switching" and "swapping" is also described, as well as data concerning special populations such as pregnant women and elderly patients.

Abatacept in the treatment of psoriatic arthritis: biological and clinical profiles of the responders

Abatacept (CTLA4Ig), a selective T-cell costimulation modulator, has been approved for the treatment of psoriatic arthritis patients with an inadequate response to conventional synthetic disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs, but not for those with uncontrolled skin lesions, nor with axial involvement. In this review, we will try to interpret such a differential efficacy of abatacept on the psoriatic arthritis clinical domains, on the basis of its differential effectiveness on the diverse T-cell subsets at different sites. Clinical and biological profiles of possible responders to abatacept will be provided.

Essential Thrombocythemia and Polycythemia Vera: Focus on Clinical Practice

Bone marrow (BM) morphologic features remain the cornerstone of diagnosis in both essential thrombocythemia (ET) and polycythemia vera (PV). In addition, recently discovered mutations, such as JAK2, CALR, and MPL, have proven useful in facilitating the diagnostic process. A JAK2 mutation is expected in PV, and its absence makes the diagnosis unlikely. However, JAK2 mutations also occur in about 60% of patients with ET, which underlines the need for BM examination in distinguishing JAK2-mutated ET from PV when the hemoglobin/hematocrit level is diagnostically equivocal (ie, as in "masked" PV). Most patients with JAK2-unmutated ET express CALR or MPL mutations, with respective estimated incidences of 22% and 3%, while approxmately 15% are wild-type for all 3 mutations (ie, they are triple-negative). As such, CALR first, followed by MPL if CALR is absent, mutation screening is appropriate in the diagnostic work-up of JAK2-unmutated ET but does not replace the need for BM morphologic examination in (1) confirming the diagnosis in triple-negative ET and (2) distinguishing ET from other myeloproliferative neoplasms that share the same mutations, including masked PV and early/prefibrotic myelofibrosis. Young patients (aged < 60 years) with ET or PV and no history of thrombosis are conventionally regarded as having "low-risk" disease. First-line treatment in low-risk PV is phlebotomy to achieve a hematocrit target of 45% and low-dose aspirin, and first-line treatment in ET is observation alone in the absence of additional risk factors for arterial thrombosis (ie, JAK2 mutation and cardiovascular risk factors) or low-dose aspirin therapy, once or twice daily, in the presence of one or both of these risk factors, respectively. Cytoreductive therapy is indicated in high-risk (patients aged ≥ 60 years or a history of thrombosis) PV or ET in the form of hydroxyurea as first-line and interferon alfa or busulfan as second-line drugs of choice. We do not use ruxolitinib in patients with PV unless they have severe pruritus or symptomatic splenomegaly that is proved to be refractory to hydroxyurea, interferon alfa, and busulfan.

Biological therapies for spondyloarthritis

Biological therapies and new imaging techniques have changed the therapeutic and diagnostic approach to spondyloarthritis. In patients with axial spondyloarthritis, tumor necrosis factor α (TNFα) inhibitor treatment is currently the only effective therapy in patients for whom conventional therapy with nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) has failed. TNFα inhibitor treatment is more effective in preventing articular damage in peripheral joints than in axial ones. It is important to treat patients at an early stage of disease to reduce disease progression; moreover it is necessary to identify causes of therapy inefficacy in preventing joint damage in the axial subset.

Update on biologic therapies in ankylosing spondylitis: a literature review

AIM

The present paper aims to review the recent advances in diagnosis and management of ankylosing spondylitis (AS).

METHOD

Medline and abstracts submitted to the recent European League Against Rheumatism (EULAR) congress were searched to obtain quality-controlled information on the management of AS.

RESULTS

The use of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) allows the diagnosis of AS to be made in the pre-radiographic stage. The Assessment in Spondylarthritis International Society recommendations for the management of AS have been modified so that patients with non-radiographic spondyloarthritis (SpA) can now be considered for biological therapy. The 'older' anti-tumour necrosis factor (TNF) continued to be effective in longer-term studies. Studies with longer duration of follow-up have shown that some patients with pre-radiographic SpA entered into prolonged drug-free remission. It is likely that in the foreseeable future, more AS patients will be treated with biological therapies at an earlier stage of the disease. New biologic therapies, golimumab and secukinumab, are looking promising in improving the signs and symptoms of AS, at least in the short-term.

CONCLUSION

Longer-term studies of AS patients treated with infliximab, etanercept and adalimumab continued to show a good clinical response. There is a need for more long-term studies to examine the longitudinal efficacy of golimumab and secukinumab in AS.

New treatment targets in ankylosing spondylitis and other spondyloarthritides

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

Despite overall good efficacy of currently available treatment [nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, tumor necrosis factor (TNF) α inhibitors] for ankylosing spondylitis (AS) and other spondyloarthritides (SpAs), up to 40% of the treated patients do not achieve an acceptable clinical improvement during the therapy. Here we discuss the most attractive new targets, which might become an alternative for AS/SpA patients in whom anti-TNFα therapy has failed or is contraindicated.

RECENT FINDINGS

Although B-cell depletion showed a moderate efficacy in a pilot trial in anti-TNF-naïve patients with AS, inhibition of T-cell costimulation seems to be ineffective in AS but might be effective in psoriatic arthritis (PsA). Interleukin (IL)-17 blockade showed promising results in a small clinical trial in AS, anti-IL-12/23 drugs demonstrated good efficacy in PsA. Clinical trials investigating the efficacy of IL-17 blockade in PsA, as well as studies with IL-6 and IL-12/23 antagonists in AS, are currently ongoing.

SUMMARY

IL-6, IL-17, IL-12/23 and, to a latter extend, B-cells are the most promising new targets in the treatment of AS and other SpAs.

Emerging drugs for psoriatic arthritis

IMPORTANCE OF THE FIELD

The socioeconomic burden of psoriatic arthritis (PsA) is considerable and not different from that of rheumatoid arthritis. Current treatment options do not always allow reaching the therapeutic objectives consisting of the remission of symptoms and prevention of the appearance of damage in the early stage of PsA or the blocking of PsA progression in the established cases.

AREAS COVERED IN THIS REVIEW

After reviewing the current treatment choices, we examine the new drugs in clinical Phase II and III trials for PsA up to January 2010. Information was mainly obtained from the network of international clinical trial registries.

WHAT THE READER WILL GAIN

The current management of PsA includes NSAIDs, corticosteroids, disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs) and anti-TNF-alpha blocking agents. These last drugs are more effective than traditional DMARDs on symptoms/signs of inflammation, quality of life and function and can inhibit the progression of the structural joint damage. Recent advancement in the knowledge of the immunopathogenesis of PsA has permitted the development of novel drugs including new TNF-alpha blockers, IL-1, -6, -12, -23 and -17 inhibitors, co-stimulator modulation inhibitors, B-cell depleting agents, small molecules and receptor activator of NF-kappaB/receptor activator of NF-kappaB ligand inhibitors.

TAKE HOME MESSAGE

The currently available anti-TNF-alpha blocking agents have revolutionized the management of PsA. However, there is a need for more effective and safer drugs.

Increased production of soluble CTLA-4 in patients with spondylarthropathies correlates with disease activity

INTRODUCTION

Spondylarthropathies (SpA) are characterized by abnormal immune responses including T cell activation. Cytotoxic T lymphocyte associated molecule-4 (CTLA-4) is involved in down-regulating immune responses. A soluble form of CTLA-4 (sCTLA-4), resulting from an alternative splicing, has been identified and was found increased in several autoimmune diseases. Here, we evaluated circulating levels of sCTLA-4 as a marker of immune dysregulation in SpA. Intracellular CTLA-4 and levels of CTLA-4 transcript expression in peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBL) were also studied.

METHODS

Sera from 165 patients with SpA were evaluated for sCTLA-4 measurements. Results were compared with those from 71 patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and 88 healthy subjects. In 32 patients with SpA, 22 patients with RA and 15 healthy controls, we analyzed the intracellular CTLA-4 expression in CD4+ T cells, CD8+ T cells, activated (HLA-DR+Foxp3-) CD4+ T cells, CD4+ regulatory (CD25+Foxp3+) T cells and in CD3 negative cells by flow cytometry. Expression of the full length (coding for membrane CTLA-4) and spliced form (coding for sCTLA-4) of CTLA-4 transcripts in PBL were analyzed by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (QRT-PCR).

RESULTS

High levels of sCTLA-4 were found in the SpA group compared to the RA group and healthy controls (P < 0.0001). Soluble CTLA-4 serum levels strongly correlated with clinical index of disease activity BASDAI (r = 0.42, P < 0.0001) and C-reactive protein (CRP) levels (r = 0.17, P = 0.037). In contrast to RA patients, SpA patients did not exhibit changes in intracellular CTLA-4 expression in the different PBL subsets tested. Finally, the SpA group showed a preferential expression of the spliced CTLA-4 mRNA (P = 0.0014) in PBL.

CONCLUSIONS

SpA patients exhibit high levels of circulating sCTLA-4 that may result from an alternative splicing of CTLA-4 transcripts. This may influence immune activation and regulation in SpA.