Effects of Anti-TNFα Treatment on Mucosal Expression of IL-17A, IL-21, and IL-22 and Cytokine-Producing T Cell Subsets in Crohn's Disease

Increased mucosal and T-cell expression of 4-1BB and PD-1 are modulated by anti-TNFα treatment in Crohn's disease

OBJECTIVE

Pro-inflammatory T-cell responses dominate in Crohn's disease (CD). This may result from a dysbalanced expression of co-stimulatory and inhibitory T-cell receptors. The present study investigated if a dysbalanced co-stimulatory and inhibitory T-cell receptor expression are present in CD and can be rebalanced by anti-TNFα treatment.

METHODS

Mucosal biopsies from 27 patients with active CD receiving anti-TNF treatment were examined for the mRNA levels of the co-stimulatory 4-1BB and inhibitory PD-1 T-cell receptor. Levels of mRNA were compared between inflamed and noninflamed tissue, and before and after treatment. Peripheral T cells from 12 healthy controls (HC) and 11 active CD patients were evaluated for their expression of 4-1BB and PD-1 by flow cytometry.

RESULTS

The 4-1BB mRNA levels in inflamed mucosa were upregulated (> 2-fold) compared with uninflamed mucosa (p < 0.05). Anti-TNFα treatment reduced the 4-1BB and PD-1 mRNA levels in the inflamed gut tissue (p < 0.05). In in vitro activated T cells, the percentage of both 4-1BB and PD-1 positive CD4+ and CD8+ T cells increased more than 1.5 fold compared with HC (p < 0.05). The 4-1BB/PD-1 ratio on activated peripheral T cells was significantly reduced in CD after anti-TNF therapy (p < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

A dysbalanced mucosal proinflammatory co-stimulatory T cell receptor expression was present in active CD and modified by anti-TNFα treatment. However, anti-TNFα treatment did not normalize the expression of 4-1BB or PD-1 on peripheral T cells although a modest increased immunoregulatory capacity could be demonstrated.

Immunobiological Properties and Clinical Applications of Interleukin-38 for Immune-Mediated Disorders: A Systematic Review Study

Exponential growth in the usage of "cytokines" (as seroimmunobiomarkers) has facilitated more accurate prognosis, early diagnosis, novel, and efficient immunotherapeutics. Numerous studies have reported immunopathophysiological and immunopathological processes of interleukin-38 (IL-38). Therefore, in this systematic review article, the authors aimed to present an updated comprehensive overview on the immunobiological mechanisms, diagnostic, and immune gene-based therapeutic potentials of IL-38. According to our inclusion and exclusion criteria, a total of 216 articles were collected from several search engines and databases from the January 2012 to July 2021 time interval by using six main keywords. Physiologic or pathologic microenvironments, optimal dosage, and involved receptors affect the functionalities of IL-38. Alterations in serum levels of IL-38 play a major role in the immunopathogenesis of a wide array of immune-mediated disorders. IL-38 shows anti-inflammatory activities by reduction or inhibition of pro-inflammatory cytokines, supporting the therapeutic aspects of IL-38 in inflammatory autoimmune diseases. According to the importance of pre-clinical studies, it seems that manipulation of the immune system by immunomodulatory properties of IL-38 can increase the accuracy of diagnosis, and decipher optimal clinical outcomes. To promote our knowledge, more collaboration is highly recommended among laboratory scientists, internal/infectious diseases specialists, oncologists, immunologists, diseases-specific biomarkers scientists, and basic medical researchers.

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

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