A Circulating MicroRNA Signature Serves as a Diagnostic and Prognostic Indicator in Sarcoidosis

Associations of peripheral blood lymphopenia to disease course, treatment and TNF-α in sarcoidosis

BACKGROUND

Severe sarcoidosis has been associated with peripheral blood (PB) total lymphopenia and high tumour necrosis factor α (TNF-α) levels, and the lymphopenia phenotype seems to respond poorly to conventional treatment. However, the mechanisms behind PB lymphopenia and its correlation with TNF-α levels remain unclear. Understanding the connections among PB lymphocyte subsets, TNF-α and clinical phenotype including treatment status could offer insights into how to individualize therapy.

METHODS

PB samples from 65 consecutive sarcoidosis patients were collected at the Department of Respiratory Medicine, Karolinska University Hospital. Total lymphocyte, T-, B- and natural killer cell and TNF-α serum concentrations were measured and correlated to clinical parameters. Penias were defined as values below the lower limit of normal. The medical charts were retrospectively searched for the first PB total lymphocyte count, mostly recorded at time around diagnosis.

RESULTS

PB total lymphopenia was observed in 35% of patients, was present since time around diagnosis, and associated with a need for treatment later (p = 0.005). Lymphocyte counts did not change by therapy, except for an increase in patients receiving TNF-α inhibitors (TNFi) (p < 0.05). B-cell penia, observed in 37% of patients, was the most common abnormality, also in patients with normal total lymphocyte counts, while T-cell penia mainly occurred in patients with total lymphopenia (91 vs 5%, p < 0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

B-cell penia is common in sarcoidosis patients while T-cell penia is mainly a feature of the sarcoidosis PB lymphopenia phenotype. Increased lymphocyte counts during TNFi treatment suggests that TNF-α signaling is of importance for sarcoidosis associated lymphopenia.

The 'inflammazone' in chronic inflammatory diseases: psoriasis and sarcoidosis

Chronic inflammatory diseases show significant heterogeneity in their phenotypes, with diverse immune cells and mediators interacting in response to various stimuli. This review proposes the concept of the 'inflammazone' framework - which maps the distribution of immune components driving disease pathogenesis - using sarcoidosis and psoriasis as examples. Sarcoidosis features granulomatous inflammation with macrophages and CD4+ T cells, which can spread to lymph nodes and other organs. Psoriasis, affecting primarily the skin, involves Th1, Th17, and Th22 pathways with CD8+ T cells and dendritic cells. Human sarcoidosis exhibits geographic and racial variability, while psoriasis shows varying morphologies and disease courses. Sarcoidosis has more extensive distal immune signaling, whereas psoriasis remains more localized. Understanding the inflammazone is crucial for advancing personalized treatments for inflammatory diseases.

Multi-omic signatures of sarcoidosis and progression in bronchoalveolar lavage cells

BACKGROUND

Sarcoidosis is a heterogeneous granulomatous disease with no accurate biomarkers of disease progression. Therefore, we profiled and integrated the DNA methylome, mRNAs, and microRNAs to identify molecular changes associated with sarcoidosis and disease progression that might illuminate underlying mechanisms of disease and potential biomarkers.

METHODS

Bronchoalveolar lavage cells from 64 sarcoidosis subjects and 16 healthy controls were used. DNA methylation was profiled on Illumina HumanMethylationEPIC arrays, mRNA by RNA-sequencing, and miRNAs by small RNA-sequencing. Linear models were fit to test for effect of sarcoidosis diagnosis and progression phenotype, adjusting for age, sex, smoking, and principal components of the data. We built a supervised multi-omics model using a subset of features from each dataset.

RESULTS

We identified 1,459 CpGs, 64 mRNAs, and five miRNAs associated with sarcoidosis versus controls and four mRNAs associated with disease progression. Our integrated model emphasized the prominence of the PI3K/AKT1 pathway, which is important in T cell and mTOR function. Novel immune related genes and miRNAs including LYST, RGS14, SLFN12L, and hsa-miR-199b-5p, distinguished sarcoidosis from controls. Our integrated model also demonstrated differential expression/methylation of IL20RB, ABCC11, SFSWAP, AGBL4, miR-146a-3p, and miR-378b between non-progressive and progressive sarcoidosis.

CONCLUSIONS

Leveraging the DNA methylome, transcriptome, and miRNA-sequencing in sarcoidosis BAL cells, we detected widespread molecular changes associated with disease, many which are involved in immune response. These molecules may serve as diagnostic/prognostic biomarkers and/or drug targets, although future testing is required for confirmation.

Lymphopenia and high Ki-67 expression in peripheral blood CD4+ and CD8+ T cells associate with progressive sarcoidosis

BACKGROUND

Early identification of patients at risk for progressive sarcoidosis may improve intervention. High bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) lymphocytes and peripheral blood (PB) lymphopenia are associated with worse prognosis. The mechanisms behind are not disentangled, and to date, it is not possible to predict disease course with certainty.

OBJECTIVES

Insight into the frequency of T regulatory cells (Tregs), proliferating CD4+ and CD8+ T cells in BALF and PB in clinically well-characterised patients, may provide clues to mechanisms behind differences in disease course.

METHODS

Nineteen treatment-naïve patients with newly diagnosed sarcoidosis were assessed with BAL and PB samples at diagnosis. From the majority, repeated PB samples were collected over a year after diagnosis. The patients were followed for a median of 3 years and clinical parameters were used to classify patients into resolving, chronic progressive and chronic stable disease. Lymphocyte counts, frequency of Tregs defined as forkhead box protein 3+ (FoxP3+) CD4+T cells, and proliferating CD4+ and CD8+ T cells assessed with Ki-67 were analysed.

RESULTS

Eleven patients disclosed a chronic stable, and eight a progressive disease course, no one resolved during the study period. In PB, lower number of lymphocytes associated with chronic progressive disease, an increased frequency of Ki-67+CD4+ and CD8+ T cells, and a tendency towards higher percentage of FoxP3+CD4+ T cells compared with chronic stable patients.

CONCLUSION

A reduction of PB lymphocytes despite increased proliferation of CD4+and CD8+ T cells was observed in patients with chronic active compared with chronic stable sarcoidosis, indicating an increased PB lymphocyte turn-over in patients with deteriorating disease. Measurement of PB Tregs, Ki-67+CD4+ and Ki-67+CD8+ T cells may help in predicting sarcoidosis disease course.

Examination of eQTL Polymorphisms Associated with Increased Risk of Progressive Complicated Sarcoidosis in European and African Descent Subjects

Background

A limited pool of SNPs are linked to the development and severity of sarcoidosis, a systemic granulomatous inflammatory disease. By integrating genome-wide association studies (GWAS) data and expression quantitative trait loci (eQTL) single nuclear polymorphisms (SNPs), we aimed to identify novel sarcoidosis SNPs potentially influencing the development of complicated sarcoidosis.

Methods

A GWAS (Affymetrix 6.0) involving 209 African-American (AA) and 193 European-American (EA, 75 and 51 complicated cases respectively) and publicly-available GWAS controls (GAIN) was utilized. Annotation of multi-tissue eQTL SNPs present on the GWAS created a pool of ~46,000 eQTL SNPs examined for association with sarcoidosis risk and severity (Logistic Model, Plink). The most significant EA/AA eQTL SNPs were genotyped in a sarcoidosis validation cohort (n=1034) and cross-validated in two independent GWAS cohorts.

Results

No single GWAS SNP achieved significance (p<1x10-8), however, analysis of the eQTL/GWAS SNP pool yielded 621 eQTL SNPs (p<10-4) associated with 730 genes that highlighted innate immunity, MHC Class II, and allograft rejection pathways with multiple SNPs validated in an independent sarcoidosis cohort (105 SNPs analyzed) (NOTCH4, IL27RA, BTNL2, ANXA11, HLA-DRB1). These studies confirm significant association of eQTL/GWAS SNPs in EAs and AAs with sarcoidosis risk and severity (complicated sarcoidosis) involving HLA region and innate immunity.

Conclusion

Despite the challenge of deciphering the genetic basis for sarcoidosis risk/severity, these results suggest that integrated eQTL/GWAS approaches may identify novel variants/genes and support the contribution of dysregulated innate immune responses to sarcoidosis severity.

Peripheral blood lymphopenia in sarcoidosis associates with HLA-DRB1 alleles but not with lung immune cells and organ involvement

Different human leukocyte antigen (HLA) alleles associate with disease phenotypes in sarcoidosis. Peripheral blood (PB) lymphopenia is reported as more common in sarcoidosis patients with worse prognosis. The mechanisms behind are unrecognized but a PB depletion due to lymphocytes migrating to lung and/or extra pulmonary organs has been suggested. Insights into associations between HLA alleles, lung immune cells, clinical phenotype including extra pulmonary manifestations (EPM), and PB lymphopenia may provide mechanistic clues and enable adequate intervention in this patient group. In this situdy,141 treatment naïve, newly diagnosed patients were retrospectively identified in a Swedish cohort of sarcoidosis patients. Data on HLA-DRB1 alleles, lung immune cells from bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF), PB lymphocytes and clinical parameters including treatment and disease course (chronic vs. resolving) were collected. The patients were followed for 2 years. PB lymphopenia associated with male sex, development of non-resolving disease, a need for first- and second-line systemic immunosuppressant treatment and HLA- DRB1*07. No correlation between BALF and PB lymphocytes, and no difference in EPM was detected between patients with and without PB lymphopenia. In conclusion, PB lymphopenia is associated with a more severe disease phenotype and carriage of the HLA-DRB1*07 allele. The results do not lend support to the hypothesis about sarcoidosis PB lymphopenia being due to a migration of PB lymphocytes to other organs. Rather, they provide a basis for future studies on the connection between HLA-DRB1*07 and PB lymphopenia mechanisms.

Altered microRNA expression in patients with sarcoidosis

Background Sarcoidosis is a granulomatous multisystem disease of uncertain aetiology. The disease has major inflammatory and immune components; however, the immunopathogenesis is not well understood. Micro ribonucleic acids (microRNAs) are classes of miniature, single-stranded, non-coding RNAs. Their key recognised role includes mediating the silencing of target genes post-transcriptionally. Recently, the role of miRNAs has gained interest in numerous disorders, suggested as being involved in pathogenesis of those diseases and acting as disease markers. Very little is known about the role of miRNAs in sarcoidosis, with nothing known regarding miRNAs in South African patients. The main objective, therefore, was to investigate the serum expression of approximately 800 miRNAs in patients with sarcoidosis compared with race-, age- and gender-matched healthy controls. Methods A total of six patients and six matched controls participated in this study. Whole blood samples were collected in EDTA tubes, processed and the plasma retained. RNA was extracted from the stored plasma samples using the QIAGEN miRNeasy Mini Kit® and concentrated using a salt-ethanol precipitation. The extracted miRNA was profiled using an nCounter® miRNA human v3 expression assay and data analysed using the nSolver™ Analysis Software. Results After excluding one sample/control pair because of cellular RNA contamination, the remaining five patient and five matched control samples were analysed, and 145 miRNAs were found to be potentially differentially expressed. On applying a Bonferroni correction, the only miRNA that was significantly different was miRNA let-7a-5p, which was significantly overexpressed (141-fold change; p<0.0003) in patients compared with controls. Conclusion This is the first miRNA report of differentially expressed miRNAs in the serum of patients with sarcoidosis and matched healthy controls in South Africa. The results obtained suggest that miRNAs may play a role in sarcoidosis pathogenesis. Whether these molecules have diagnostic or prognostic implications, needs future studies recruiting larger patient cohorts.

Vaccination in the Era of Immunosuppression

Patients with autoimmune inflammatory rheumatic diseases (AIIRDs) are at increased risk for severe infections. Vaccine responses and safety profiles may differ between AIIRD patients and the general population. While patients with autoimmune inflammatory rheumatic diseases (AIIRDs) often experience diminished humoral responses and reduced vaccine efficacy, factors such as the type of immunosuppressant medications used and the specific vaccine employed contribute to these outcomes. Notably, individuals undergoing B cell depletion therapy tend to have poor vaccine immunogenicity. However, despite these considerations, vaccine responses are generally considered clinically sufficient. Ideally, immunosuppressed AIIRD patients should receive vaccinations at least two weeks before commencing immunosuppressive treatment. However, it is common for many patients to already be on immunosuppressants during the immunization process. Vaccination rarely triggers flares in AIIRDs; if flares occur, they are typically mild. Despite the heightened infection risk, including COVID-19, among AIIRD patients with rheumatoid arthritis, systemic lupus erythematosus, sarcoidosis, and other diseases on immunosuppressants, the vaccination rates remain suboptimal. The future directions of vaccination in the era of immunosuppression will likely involve customized vaccines with enhanced adjuvants and alternative delivery methods. By addressing the unique challenges faced by immunosuppressed individuals, we may improve vaccine efficacy, reduce the risk of infections, and ultimately enhance the health outcomes. Additionally, clinical trials to evaluate the safety and efficacy of temporarily discontinuing immunosuppressants during vaccination in various AIIRDs are crucial.

Initial behaviors and attitudes towards the COVID-19 vaccine in sarcoidosis patients: results of a self-reporting questionnaire

BACKGROUND

Individuals with self-declared sarcoidosis are at increased risk of COVID-19 related morbidity and mortality for which vaccination can be lifesaving. Despite this, vaccine hesitancy remains a large barrier to global acceptance of vaccination against COVID-19. We aimed to identify individuals with sarcoidosis who had and had not been vaccinated against COVID-19 vaccine to 1) establish a safety profile of COVID-19 vaccination in those with sarcoidosis and 2) to elucidate factors that contribute to COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy.

METHODS

A questionnaire inquiring about COVID-19 vaccination status, vaccination side effects, and willingness for future vaccination was distributed from December 2020 to May 2021 to individuals with sarcoidosis living in the US and European countries. Details regarding sarcoidosis manifestations and treatment were solicited. Vaccine attitudes were classified as pro or anti-COVID-19 vaccination for subgroup analysis.

RESULTS

At the time of questionnaire administration, 42% of respondents had already received a COVID-19 vaccination, most of whom either denied side effects or reported a local reaction only. Those off sarcoidosis therapy were more likely to report systemic side effects. Among subjects who had not yet received a COVID-19 vaccine, 27% of individuals reported they would not receive one once available. Reasons against vaccination were overwhelmingly related to the lack of confidence in vaccine safety and/or efficacy and less related to concerns associated with convenience or complacency. Black individuals, women, and younger adults were more likely to decline vaccination.

CONCLUSIONS

Among individuals with sarcoidosis, COVID-19 vaccination is well-accepted and well-tolerated. Subjects on sarcoidosis therapy reported significantly less vaccination side effects, and thus the correlation between side effects, vaccine type, and vaccine efficacy requires further investigation. Strategies to improve vaccination should focus on improving knowledge and education regarding vaccine safety and efficacy, as well as targeting sources of misinformation, particularly in young, black, and female subpopulations.

Multi-Omic Signatures of Sarcoidosis and Progression in Bronchoalveolar Lavage Cells

Introduction

Sarcoidosis is a heterogeneous, granulomatous disease that can prove difficult to diagnose, with no accurate biomarkers of disease progression. Therefore, we profiled and integrated the DNA methylome, mRNAs, and microRNAs to identify molecular changes associated with sarcoidosis and disease progression that might illuminate underlying mechanisms of disease and potential genomic biomarkers.

Methods

Bronchoalveolar lavage cells from 64 sarcoidosis subjects and 16 healthy controls were used. DNA methylation was profiled on Illumina HumanMethylationEPIC arrays, mRNA by RNA-sequencing, and miRNAs by small RNA-sequencing. Linear models were fit to test for effect of diagnosis and phenotype, adjusting for age, sex, and smoking. We built a supervised multi-omics model using a subset of features from each dataset.

Results

We identified 46,812 CpGs, 1,842 mRNAs, and 5 miRNAs associated with sarcoidosis versus controls and 1 mRNA, SEPP1 - a protein that supplies selenium to cells, associated with disease progression. Our integrated model emphasized the prominence of the PI3K/AKT1 pathway in sarcoidosis, which is important in T cell and mTOR function. Novel immune related genes and miRNAs including LYST, RGS14, SLFN12L, and hsa-miR-199b-5p, distinguished sarcoidosis from controls. Our integrated model also demonstrated differential expression/methylation of IL20RB, ABCC11, SFSWAP, AGBL4, miR-146a-3p, and miR-378b between non-progressive and progressive sarcoidosis.

Conclusions

Leveraging the DNA methylome, transcriptome, and miRNA-sequencing in sarcoidosis BAL cells, we detected widespread molecular changes associated with disease, many which are involved in immune response. These molecules may serve as diagnostic/prognostic biomarkers and/or drug targets, although future testing will be required for confirmation.

Trimer IgG and neutralising antibody response to COVID-19 mRNA vaccination in individuals with sarcoidosis

Background

Individuals with sarcoidosis are at higher risk for infection owing to underlying disease pathogenesis and need for immunosuppressive treatment. Current knowledge as to how subjects with sarcoidosis respond to different forms of vaccination is limited. We examined quantitative and functional antibody response to COVID-19 vaccination in infection-naive subjects with and without sarcoidosis.

Methods

Our prospective cohort study recruited 14 subjects with biopsy-proven sarcoidosis and 27 age-sex matched controls who underwent a two-shot series of the BNT162b2 mRNA vaccine at the University of Illinois at Chicago. Baseline, 4-week and 6-month trimer spike protein IgG and neutralising antibody (nAb) titres were assessed. Correlation and multivariate regression analysis was conducted.

Results

Sarcoidosis subjects had a significant increase in short-term antibody production to a level comparable to controls; however, IgG titres significantly declined back to baseline levels by 6 months. Corresponding neutralising assays revealed robust nAb titres in sarcoidosis subjects that persisted at 6 months. A significant and strong correlation between IgG and nAb titres across all time points was observed in the control group. However within the sarcoidosis group, a significant but weak correlation between antibody levels was found. Overall, IgG levels were poor predictors of nAb titres at short- or long-term time points.

Conclusions

Sarcoidosis subjects exhibit nAb induced by the BNT162b2 mRNA SARS-CoV-2 vaccine at levels comparable to controls that persists at 6 months indicating conferred immunity. Trimer IgG levels are poor predictors of nAb in subjects with sarcoidosis. Studies of further antibody immunoglobulins and subtypes warrant investigation.

Integrative bioinformatics analysis to explore a robust diagnostic signature and landscape of immune cell infiltration in sarcoidosis

BACKGROUND

The unknown etiology of sarcoidosis with variable clinical features leads to delayed diagnosis and limited therapeutic strategies. Hence, exploring the latent mechanisms and constructing an accessible and reliable diagnostic model of sarcoidosis is vital for innovative therapeutic approaches to improve prognosis.

METHODS

This retrospective study analyzed transcriptomes from 11 independent sarcoidosis cohorts, comprising 313 patients and 400 healthy controls. The weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA) and differentially expressed gene (DEG) analysis were performed to identify molecular biomarkers. Machine learning was employed to fit a diagnostic model. The potential pathogenesis and immune landscape were detected by bioinformatics tools.

RESULTS

A 10-gene signature SARDS consisting of GBP1, LEF1, IFIT3, LRRN3, IFI44, LHFPL2, RTP4, CD27, EPHX2, and CXCL10 was further constructed in the training cohorts by the LASSO algorithm, which performed well in the four independent cohorts with the splendid AUCs ranging from 0.938 to 1.000. The findings were validated in seven independent publicly available gene expression datasets retrieved from whole blood, PBMC, alveolar lavage fluid cells, and lung tissue samples from patients with outstanding AUCs ranging from 0.728 to 0.972. Transcriptional signatures associated with sarcoidosis revealed a potential role of immune response in the development of the disease through bioinformatics analysis.

CONCLUSIONS

Our study identified and validated molecular biomarkers for the diagnosis of sarcoidosis and constructed the diagnostic model SARDS to improve the accuracy of early diagnosis of the disease.

Altered transcription factor targeting is associated with differential peripheral blood mononuclear cell proportions in sarcoidosis

Introduction

In sarcoidosis, peripheral lymphopenia and anergy have been associated with increased inflammation and maladaptive immune activity, likely promoting development of chronic and progressive disease. However, the molecular mechanisms that lead to reduced lymphocyte proportions, particularly CD4+ T-cells, have not been fully elucidated. We posit that paradoxical peripheral lymphopenia is characterized by a dysregulated transcriptomic network associated with cell function and fate that results from altered transcription factor targeting activity.

Methods

Messenger RNA-sequencing (mRNA-seq) was performed on peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) from ACCESS study subjects with sarcoidosis and matched controls and findings validated on a sarcoidosis case-control cohort and a sarcoidosis case series. Preserved PBMC transcriptomic networks between case-control cohorts were assessed to establish cellular associations with gene modules and define regulatory targeting involved in sarcoidosis immune dysregulation utilizing weighted gene co-expression network analysis and differential transcription factor involvement analysis. Network centrality measures identified master transcriptional regulators of subnetworks related to cell proliferation and death. Predictive models of differential PBMC proportions constructed from ACCESS target gene expression corroborated the relationship between aberrant transcription factor regulatory activity and imputed and clinical PBMC populations in the validation cohorts.

Results

We identified two unique and preserved gene modules significantly associated with sarcoidosis immune dysregulation. Strikingly, increased expression of a monocyte-driven, and not a lymphocyte-driven, gene module related to innate immunity and cell death was the best predictor of peripheral CD4+ T-cell proportions. Within the gene network of this monocyte-driven module, TLE3 and CBX8 were determined to be master regulators of the cell death subnetwork. A core gene signature of differentially over-expressed target genes of TLE3 and CBX8 involved in cellular communication and immune response regulation accurately predicted imputed and clinical monocyte expansion and CD4+ T-cell depletion.

Conclusions

Altered transcriptional regulation associated with aberrant gene expression of a monocyte-driven transcriptional network likely influences lymphocyte function and survival. Although further investigation is warranted, this indicates that crosstalk between hyperactive monocytes and lymphocytes may instigate peripheral lymphopenia and underlie sarcoidosis immune dysregulation and pathogenesis. Future therapies selectively targeting master regulators, or their targets, may mitigate dysregulated immune processes in sarcoidosis and disease progression.

A transcriptomics-based meta-analysis identifies a cross-tissue signature for sarcoidosis

Sarcoidosis is a granulomatous disease of unknown etiology, immunologically characterized by a Th1 immune response. Transcriptome-wide expression studies in various types of sarcoid tissues contributed to better understanding of disease mechanisms. We performed a systematic database search on Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) and utilized transcriptomic data from blood and sarcoidosis-affected tissues in a meta-analysis to identify a cross-tissue, cross-platform signature. Datasets were further separated into training and testing sets for development of a diagnostic classifier for sarcoidosis. A total of 690 differentially expressed genes were identified in the analysis among various tissues. 29 of the genes were robustly associated with sarcoidosis in the meta-analysis both in blood and in lung-associated tissues. Top genes included LINC01278 (P = 3.11 × 10^–13), GBP5 (P = 5.56 × 10^–07), and PSMB9 (P = 1.11 × 10^–06). Pathway enrichment analysis revealed activated IFN-γ, IL-1, and IL-18, autophagy, and viral infection response. IL-17 was observed to be enriched in peripheral blood specific signature genes. A 16-gene classifier achieved excellent performance in the independent validation data (AUC 0.711–0.964). This study provides a cross-tissue meta-analysis for expression profiles of sarcoidosis and identifies a diagnostic classifier that potentially can complement more invasive procedures.

A risk score system based on a six-microRNA signature predicts the overall survival of patients with ovarian cancer

BACKGROUND

Ovarian cancer (OVC) is a devastating disease worldwide; therefore the identification of prognostic biomarkers is urgently needed. We aimed to determine a robust microRNA signature-based risk score system that could predict the overall survival (OS) of patients with OVC.

METHODS

We extracted the microRNA expression profiles and corresponding clinical data of 467 OVC patients from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database and further divided this data into training, validation and complete cohorts. The key prognostic microRNAs for OVC were identified and evaluated by robust likelihood-based survival analysis (RLSA) and multivariable Cox regression. Time-dependent receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were then constructed to evaluate the prognostic performance of these microRNAs. A total of 172 ovarian cancer samples and 162 normal ovarian tissues were used to verify the credibility and accuracy of the selected markers of the TCGA cohort by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR).

RESULTS

We successfully established a risk score system based on a six-microRNA signature (hsa-miR-3074-5p, hsa-miR-758-3p, hsa-miR-877-5p, hsa-miR-760, hsa-miR-342-5p, and hsa-miR-6509-5p). This microRNA based system is able to characterize patients as either high or low risk. The OS of OVC patients, with either high or low risk, was significantly different when compared in the training cohort (p < 0.001), the validation cohort (p < 0.001) and the complete cohort (p < 0.001). Analysis of clinical samples further demonstrated that these microRNAs were aberrantly expressed in OVC tissues. The six-miRNA-based signature was correlated with the prognosis of OVC patients (p < 0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

The study established a novel risk score system that is predictive of patient prognosis and is a potentially useful guide for the personalized treatment of OVC patients.

Construction of circRNA-based ceRNA network and its prognosis-associated subnet of clear cell renal cell carcinoma

Circular RNAs (circRNAs) are novel biomarkers of various cancers. CircRNAs can sponge miRNAs and regulate target mRNAs, which was called competing endogenous RNAs (ceRNA). This study was designed to identify circRNAs related to patients with clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC) and the first to select three independent Gene Expression Omnibus microarrays covering circRNAs, miRNAs, and mRNAs for multiple analyses. The data of clinical cases applied in our study were obtained from The Cancer Genome Atlas. We successfully conducted a circRNA/miRNA/mRNA ceRNA network related to ccRCC patients via R software and Cytoscape including 8 circRNAs, 6 miRNAs, and 49 mRNAs. The prognosis-associated subnet covered 8 circRNAs, 6 miRNAs, and 22 mRNAs. Quantitative real-time PCR was applied to measure our prediction in three renal cell lines and 23 pairs of tissues. Small interfering RNA targeting the back-splice region of hsa_circ_0001167 was further implied to confirm the regulation. Ultimately, hsa_circ_0001167/hsa-miR-595/CCDC8 regulatory axis was identified in this study, which may serve as prognostic indicators. Lower levels of hsa_circ_0001167 and CCDC8 were potentially correlated with worse patient survival.

Unsupervised Clustering Reveals Sarcoidosis Phenotypes Marked by a Reduction in Lymphocytes Relate to Increased Inflammatory Activity on 18FDG-PET/CT

Introduction: Sarcoidosis is a T-helper cell mediated disease characterized by granulomatous inflammation. We posited that unsupervised clustering of various features in sarcoidosis would establish phenotypes associated with inflammatory activity measured by 18FDG-PET/CT. Our goal was to identify unique features capable of distinguishing clusters and subsequently examine the relationship with FDG avidity to substantiate their potential use as markers for sarcoidosis inflammation.

Methods: We performed a retrospective study of a diverse, but primarily African American, cohort of 58 subjects with biopsy proven sarcoidosis followed at the University of Illinois Bernie Mac Sarcoidosis Center and Center for Lung Health who underwent 18FDG-PET/CT scan. Demographic, therapeutic, radiographic, and laboratory data were utilized in unsupervised cluster analysis to identify sarcoidosis phenotypes. The association between clusters, their defining features, and quantitative measurements on 18FDG-PET/CT was determined. The relevance of these features as markers of 18FDG-PET/CT inflammatory activity was also investigated.

Results: Clustering determined three distinct phenotypes: (1) a predominantly African American cluster with chronic, quiescent disease, (2) a predominantly African American cluster with elevated conventional inflammatory markers, advanced pulmonary disease and extrathoracic involvement, and (3) a predominantly Caucasian cluster characterized by reduced lymphocyte counts and acute disease. In contrast to the chronic quiescent cluster, Clusters 2 and 3 were defined by significantly greater FDG avidity on 18FDG-PET/CT. Despite similarly increased inflammatory activity on 18FDG-PET/CT, Clusters 2, and 3 differed with regards to extrathoracic FDG avidity and circulating lymphocyte profiles, specifically CD4+ T-cells. Notably, absolute lymphocyte counts and CD4+ T-cell counts were found to predict 18FDG-PET/CT inflammatory activity by receiver operating curve analysis with a 69.2 and 73.42% area under the curve, respectively.

Conclusions: Utilizing cluster analysis, three distinct phenotypes of sarcoidosis were identified with significant variation in race, disease chronicity, and serologic markers of inflammation. These phenotypes displayed varying levels of circulating inflammatory cells. Additionally, reduction in lymphocytes, specifically CD4+ T-cells, was significantly related to activity on 18FDG-PET/CT. Though future studies are warranted, these findings suggest that peripheral lymphocyte counts may be considered a determinant of sarcoidosis phenotypes and an indicator of active inflammation on 18FDG-PET/CT.

Potential use of biomarkers for the clinical evaluation of sarcoidosis

Sarcoidosis is a systemic granulomatous disease of unknown etiology and pathogenesis with a heterogeneous clinical presentation. In the appropriate clinical and radiological context and with the exclusion of other diagnoses, the disease is characterized by the pathological presence of non-caseating epithelioid cell granulomas. Sarcoidosis is postulated to be a multifactorial disease caused by chronic antigenic stimulation. The immunopathogenesis of sarcoidosis encompasses a complex interaction between the host, genetic factors and postulated environmental and infectious triggers, which result in granuloma development.The exact pathogenesis of the disease has yet to be elucidated, but some of the inflammatory pathways that play a key role in disease progression and outcomes are becoming apparent, and these may form the logical basis for selecting potential biomarkers.Biomarkers are biological molecules that are altered pathologically. To date, there exists no single reliable biomarker for the evaluation of sarcoidosis, either diagnostically or prognostically but new candidates are emerging. A diagnosis of sarcoidosis ideally requires a biopsy confirming non-caseating granulomas, but the likelihood of progression that requires intervention remains unpredictable. These challenging aspects could be potentially resolved by incorporating biomarkers into clinical practice for both diagnosis and monitoring disease activity.This review outlines the current knowledge on sarcoidosis with an emphasis on pulmonary sarcoidosis, and delineates the understanding surrounding the implication of biomarkers for the clinical evaluation of sarcoidosis.

Gene Co-expression Networks Identifies Common Hub Genes Between Cutaneous Sarcoidosis and Discoid Lupus Erythematosus

In this study we analyzed gene co-expression networks of three immune-related skin diseases: cutaneous sarcoidosis (CS), discoid lupus erythematosus (DLE), and psoriasis. We propose that investigation of gene co-expression networks may provide insights into underlying disease mechanisms. Microarray expression data from two cohorts of patients with CS, DLE, or psoriasis skin lesions were analyzed. We applied weighted gene correlation network analysis (WGCNA) to construct gene-gene similarity networks and cluster genes into modules based on similar expression profiles. A module of interest that was preserved between datasets and corresponded with case/control status was identified. This module was related to immune activation, specifically leukocyte activation, and was significantly increased in both CS lesions and DLE lesions compared to their respective controls. Protein-protein interaction (PPI) networks constructed for this module revealed seven common hub genes between CS lesions and DLE lesions: TLR1, ITGAL, TNFRSF1B, CD86, SPI1, BTK, and IL10RA. Common hub genes were highly upregulated in CS lesions and DLE lesions compared to their respective controls in a differential expression analysis. Our results indicate common gene expression patterns in the immune processes of CS and DLE, which may have indications for future therapeutic targets and serve as Th1-mediated disease biomarkers. Additionally, we identified hub genes unique to CS and DLE, which can help differentiate these diseases from one another and may serve as unique therapeutic targets and biomarkers. Notably, we find common gene expression patterns in the immune processes of CS and DLE through utilization of WGCNA.

Distinct miRNA Gene Expression Profiles Among the Nodule Tissues of Lung Sarcoidosis, Tuberculous Lymphadenitis and Normal Healthy Control Individuals

Background: Sarcoidosis and tuberculosis share similarities in clinical manifestations and histopathological features. We aimed to identify the microRNA (miRNA) profiles of the lymph nodes of individuals with sarcoidosis and of those with tuberculous lymphadenitis to investigate the value of miRNAs in the differential diagnosis of sarcoidosis and tuberculous lymphadenitis.

Methods: The miRNA profiles of the lymph nodes of individuals with sarcoidosis, those with tuberculous lymphadenitis (TBLN) and controls were detected by miRNA microarray analysis in the age- and sex-matched development group of the controls (n = 3), patients with TBLN (n = 3) and patients with sarcoidosis (n = 3), and the results were validated by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction in the validation group of the controls (n = 30), TBLN (n = 30) and patients with sarcoidosis (n = 31). The relationship between miRNA expression and the clinical parameters of sarcoidosis was analyzed.

Results: miR-145, miR-185-5p, miR-301, miR-425-5P, miR-449b and miR-885-5P were differentially expressed between individuals with sarcoidosis and controls (P < 0.0001, P < 0.0001, P = 0.0008, P = 0.0002, P = 0.0018, and P < 0.0001, respectively), and the same six miRNAs were differentially expressed between individuals with tuberculous lymphadenitis and controls (P = 0.0002, P = 0.0004, P = 0.0238, P = 0.0006, P = 0.0149, and P = 0.0045, respectively). miR-185-5p was differentially expressed between individuals with tuberculous lymphadenitis and those with sarcoidosis (P = 0.0101). The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve calculated for miR-185-5p was 0.6860, and the sensitivity and specificity of miR-185-5p for the differential diagnosis of sarcoidosis from TBLN were 61 and 80%, respectively. The levels of miR-145, miR-301, miR-425-5P, and miR-885-5P were positively correlated with CD4+/CD8+ T lymphocytes in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid.

Conclusions: miRNAs in lymph nodes show similar expression patterns between individuals with sarcoidosis and those with tuberculous lymphadenitis, which were experimentally selected. miR-185-5p in the lymph nodes can be used as an auxiliary marker for the differential diagnosis of sarcoidosis and tuberculous lymphadenitis.

Sarcoidosis: Causes, Diagnosis, Clinical Features, and Treatments

Sarcoidosis is a multisystem granulomatous disease with nonspecific clinical manifestations that commonly affects the pulmonary system and other organs including the eyes, skin, liver, spleen, and lymph nodes. Sarcoidosis usually presents with persistent dry cough, eye and skin manifestations, weight loss, fatigue, night sweats, and erythema nodosum. Sarcoidosis is not influenced by sex or age, although it is more common in adults (< 50 years) of African-American or Scandinavians decent. Diagnosis can be difficult because of nonspecific symptoms and can only be verified following histopathological examination. Various factors, including infection, genetic predisposition, and environmental factors, are involved in the pathology of sarcoidosis. Exposures to insecticides, herbicides, bioaerosols, and agricultural employment are also associated with an increased risk for sarcoidosis. Due to its unknown etiology, early diagnosis and detection are difficult; however, the advent of advanced technologies, such as endobronchial ultrasound-guided biopsy, high-resolution computed tomography, magnetic resonance imaging, and 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography has improved our ability to reliably diagnose this condition and accurately forecast its prognosis. This review discusses the causes and clinical features of sarcoidosis, and the improvements made in its prognosis, therapeutic management, and the recent discovery of potential biomarkers associated with the diagnostic assay used for sarcoidosis confirmation.

Diagnosis issues in sarcoidosis

Multiple problems may be encountered during the diagnosis of sarcoidosis: at first diagnose sarcoidosis in an appropriate clinical setting, secondly, identify any manifestation to be linked to sarcoidosis at diagnosis work-up and during evolution; thirdly, recognize "danger" in sarcoidosis and parasarcoidosis syndromes, and finally, diagnose sarcoidosis recovery. Diagnosis is often delayed as presentation may be diverse, non-specific, or atypical. Diagnosis of sarcoidosis is based on three criteria: a compatible presentation; evidence of non-caseating granulomas and exclusion of any alternative diagnosis. However, even when all criteria are fulfilled, the probability of sarcoidosis diagnosis varies from definite to only possible depending upon the presence of more or less characteristic radio-clinical and histopathological findings and on the epidemiological context. Bilateral hilar lymphadenopathy and/or diffuse lung micronodules mainly along lymphatics are the most frequent highly suggestive findings. Evidence of granulomas relies on superficial biopsies of clinically suspected lesion when present or most often by bronchial endoscopy. The diagnosis of sarcoidosis may be difficult in absence of thoracic or skin manifestations and may require the benefit of hindsight before being definitive. Differential diagnoses, mainly tuberculosis, must be considered. The diagnosis of events during evolution relies on serial clinical, pulmonary function, radiographic evaluation and on extrapulmonary manifestations work-up, including electrocardiogram and blood biology. Affected organs need to be related to sarcoidosis using an appropriate diagnostic assessment instrument. To declare the recovery of sarcoidosis, all manifestations must have disappeared spontaneously or after 3-5 years post-treatment without relapse.

Blood circRNAs as biomarkers for the diagnosis of community-acquired pneumonia

Circular RNAs (circRNAs) have been reported as effective diagnostic and therapeutic biomarkers in many diseases, but the potential of using this easy-to-monitor and highly stable materials for diagnosing Community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) remains unexplored. Here, aiming to identify potential CAP-related circRNAs in peripheral blood and seeking to deepen the understanding of how circRNA-miRNA-mRNA regulatory networks may contribute to CAP, we applied microarrays profiling analysis and identified 8296 differentially expressed (DE) circRNAs between patients with CAP (n = 6) and healthy controls (n = 6). Subsequently, we validated the accumulation trends for the top 100 DE circRNAs based on qPCR in an independent validation cohort (30 patients vs 30 controls), and ultimately identified a panel of four circRNAs that perform extremely well as sensitive and specific biomarkers for diagnosing CAP: hsa_circ_0018429 (area under the curve [AUC] = 0.8216), hsa_circ_0026579 (AUC = 0.7733), hsa_circ_0125357 (AUC = 0.7730), and hsa_circ_0099188 (AUC = 0.6978); combined as a panel (AUC = 0.8776). In addition, hsa_circ_0026579 exhibited good performance in differentiating viral from bacterial or mixed infection, with an AUC of 0.863. We also identified 10 miRNAs that most likely to interact with these four circRNAs, and then predicted 205 mRNA target genes. The KEGG pathway enrichment analysis suggested highly plausible functional implications related to inflammation and to virus-infection-related signaling pathways (such as HTLV-1 infection and hepatitis B infection). Thus, we generated a genetic network of potential CAP-related regulatory interactions that should inform future hypothesis-driven research into the causes and potential treatment of this widespread and frequently fatal disease.

Expression analysis of extracellular microRNA in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid from patients with pulmonary sarcoidosis

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE

MicroRNA (miRNA) are transcriptional regulators implicated in pulmonary sarcoidosis and packaged in extracellular vesicles (EV) during cellular communication. We characterized EV and investigated miRNA expression in bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) fluid from sarcoidosis patients.

METHODS

EV were characterized for size(s) using dynamic light scattering and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) analysis and protein markers by immunoblotting. Twelve extracellular and 5 cellular miRNA were investigated in BAL from 16 chest X-ray stage-I (CXR-I) and 17 CXR stage-II (CXR-II) sarcoidosis patients. Associations between miRNA and disease characteristics (extrapulmonary involvement, pulmonary function and BAL cell profile) were statistically analysed.

RESULTS

BAL from sarcoidosis patients contained exosomes and microvesicles (MV) as EV. In these EV, expression of miR-146a (P = 0.007), miR-150 (P = 0.003) and BAL cellular miR-21 (P = 0.01) was increased in CXR-II compared with CXR-I. Other detected EV (miR-21 and miR-26a) and cellular (miR-31, miR-129-3p, miR-146a and miR-452) miRNA were not differentially expressed. The investigated miRNA did not reflect extrapulmonary involvement, but EV miR-146a and miR-150 were negatively correlated with pulmonary function (miR-146a with vital capacity (VC; Spearman's correlation coefficient (r_s ), P = -0.657, 0.007), percent predicted forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV₁ ; -0.662, 0.006) and FEV₁ /forced vital capacity (FVC) ratio (-0.649, 0.008); miR-150 correlated negatively with VC (-0.584, 0.019) and FEV₁ /FVC ratio (-0.746, 0.001) in CXR-II cases).

CONCLUSION

Our data provide evidence that exosomes and microvesicles as extracellular vesicles are present in the bronchoalveolar space of sarcoidosis patients and they differentially express EV miRNA (miR-146a and miR-150), the expression of which correlates negatively with pulmonary function indices. The significance of these findings for disease pathophysiology and clinical course require further investigation.