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Zarbl J, Eimer E, Gigg C, Bendzuck G, Korinth M, Elling-Audersch C, Kleyer A, Simon D, Boeltz S, Krusche M, Mucke J, Muehlensiepen F, Vuillerme N, Krönke G, Schett G, Knitza J. Remote self-collection of capillary blood using upper arm devices for autoantibody analysis in patients with immune-mediated inflammatory rheumatic diseases. RMD Open 2022; 8:rmdopen-2022-002641. [PMID: 36104118 PMCID: PMC9476144 DOI: 10.1136/rmdopen-2022-002641] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/04/2022] [Accepted: 08/31/2022] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Objectives To evaluate the feasibility, accuracy, usability and acceptability of two upper arm self-sampling devices for measurement of autoantibodies and C reactive protein (CRP) levels in patients with immune-mediated rheumatic diseases (IMRDs). Methods 70 consecutive patients with IMRD with previously documented autoantibodies were assigned to supervised and unsupervised self-collection of capillary blood with the Tasso+ or TAP II device. Interchangeability of 17 biomarkers with standard venesection was assessed by: concordance, correlation, paired sample hypothesis testing and Bland-Altman plots. Patients completed an evaluation questionnaire, including the System Usability Scale (SUS) and Net Promoter Score (NPS). Results While 80.0% and 77.0% were able to safely and successfully collect capillary blood using the Tasso+ and TAP II within the first attempt, 69 of 70 (98.6%) patients were successful in collecting capillary blood within two attempts. Concordance between venous and capillary samples was high; 94.7% and 99.5% for positive and negative samples, respectively. For connective tissue disease screen, anti-Ro52 and anti-proteinase 3 autoantibody levels, no significant differences were observed. Self-sampling was less painful than standard venesection for the majority of patients (Tasso+: 71%; TAP II: 63%). Both devices were well accepted (NPS; both: +28%), usability was perceived as excellent (SUS; Tasso+: 88.6 of 100; TAP II: 86.0 of 100) and 48.6 %/62.9% of patients would prefer to use the Tasso+/TAP II, respectively, instead of a traditional venous blood collection. Conclusions Remote self-collection of capillary blood using upper arm-based devices for autoantibody and CRP analysis in patients with autoimmune rheumatic diseases is feasible, accurate and well accepted among patients. Trial registration number WHO International Clinical Trials Registry (DRKS00024925).
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Affiliation(s)
- Joshua Zarbl
- Department of Internal Medicine 3, Rheumatology and Immunology, Friedrich-Alexander University Erlangen-Nürnberg and Universitätsklinikum Erlangen, Erlangen, Germany.,Deutsches Zentrum für Immuntherapie, Friedrich-Alexander University Erlangen-Nürnberg and Universitätsklinikum Erlangen, Erlangen, Germany
| | | | | | | | | | | | - Arnd Kleyer
- Department of Internal Medicine 3, Rheumatology and Immunology, Friedrich-Alexander University Erlangen-Nürnberg and Universitätsklinikum Erlangen, Erlangen, Germany.,Deutsches Zentrum für Immuntherapie, Friedrich-Alexander University Erlangen-Nürnberg and Universitätsklinikum Erlangen, Erlangen, Germany
| | - David Simon
- Department of Internal Medicine 3, Rheumatology and Immunology, Friedrich-Alexander University Erlangen-Nürnberg and Universitätsklinikum Erlangen, Erlangen, Germany.,Deutsches Zentrum für Immuntherapie, Friedrich-Alexander University Erlangen-Nürnberg and Universitätsklinikum Erlangen, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Sebastian Boeltz
- Department of Internal Medicine 3, Rheumatology and Immunology, Friedrich-Alexander University Erlangen-Nürnberg and Universitätsklinikum Erlangen, Erlangen, Germany.,Deutsches Zentrum für Immuntherapie, Friedrich-Alexander University Erlangen-Nürnberg and Universitätsklinikum Erlangen, Erlangen, Germany
| | | | - Johanna Mucke
- Policlinic and Hiller Research Unit for Rheumatology, Medical Faculty and University Hospital Düsseldorf, Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Felix Muehlensiepen
- Centre for Health Services Research Brandenburg, Brandenburg Medical School Theodor Fontane, Neuruppin, Germany.,Université Grenoble Alpes, Grenoble, France
| | | | - Gerhard Krönke
- Department of Internal Medicine 3, Rheumatology and Immunology, Friedrich-Alexander University Erlangen-Nürnberg and Universitätsklinikum Erlangen, Erlangen, Germany.,Deutsches Zentrum für Immuntherapie, Friedrich-Alexander University Erlangen-Nürnberg and Universitätsklinikum Erlangen, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Georg Schett
- Department of Internal Medicine 3, Rheumatology and Immunology, Friedrich-Alexander University Erlangen-Nürnberg and Universitätsklinikum Erlangen, Erlangen, Germany.,Deutsches Zentrum für Immuntherapie, Friedrich-Alexander University Erlangen-Nürnberg and Universitätsklinikum Erlangen, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Johannes Knitza
- Department of Internal Medicine 3, Rheumatology and Immunology, Friedrich-Alexander University Erlangen-Nürnberg and Universitätsklinikum Erlangen, Erlangen, Germany .,Deutsches Zentrum für Immuntherapie, Friedrich-Alexander University Erlangen-Nürnberg and Universitätsklinikum Erlangen, Erlangen, Germany.,Université Grenoble Alpes, Grenoble, France
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Knitza J, Tascilar K, Vuillerme N, Eimer E, Matusewicz P, Corte G, Schuster L, Aubourg T, Bendzuck G, Korinth M, Elling-Audersch C, Kleyer A, Boeltz S, Hueber AJ, Krönke G, Schett G, Simon D. Accuracy and tolerability of self-sampling of capillary blood for analysis of inflammation and autoantibodies in rheumatoid arthritis patients-results from a randomized controlled trial. Arthritis Res Ther 2022; 24:125. [PMID: 35614488 PMCID: PMC9130452 DOI: 10.1186/s13075-022-02809-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2021] [Accepted: 05/13/2022] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) requires early diagnosis and tight surveillance of disease activity. Remote self-collection of blood for the analysis of inflammation markers and autoantibodies could improve the monitoring of RA and facilitate the identification of individuals at-risk for RA. OBJECTIVE Randomized, controlled trial to evaluate the accuracy, feasibility, and acceptability of an upper arm self-sampling device (UA) and finger prick-test (FP) to measure capillary blood from RA patients for C-reactive protein (CRP) levels and the presence of IgM rheumatoid factor (RF IgM) and anti-cyclic citrullinated protein antibodies (anti-CCP IgG). METHODS RA patients were randomly assigned in a 1:1 ratio to self-collection of capillary blood via UA or FP. Venous blood sampling (VBS) was performed as a gold standard in both groups to assess the concordance of CRP levels as well as RF IgM and CCP IgG. General acceptability and pain during sampling were measured and compared between UA, FP, and VBS. The number of attempts for successful sampling, requests for assistance, volume, and duration of sample collection were also assessed. RESULTS Fifty seropositive RA patients were included. 49/50 (98%) patients were able to successfully collect capillary blood. The overall agreement between capillary and venous analyses for CRP (0.992), CCP IgG (0.984), and RF IgM (0.994) were good. In both groups, 4/25 (16%) needed a second attempt and 8/25 (32%) in the UA and 7/25 (28%) in the FP group requested assistance. Mean pain scores for capillary self-sampling (1.7/10 ± 1.1 (UA) and 1.9/10 ± 1.9 (FP)) were significantly lower on a numeric rating scale compared to venous blood collection (UA: 2.8/10 ± 1.7; FP: 2.1 ± 2.0) (p=0.003). UA patients were more likely to promote the use of capillary blood sampling (net promoter score: +28% vs. -20% for FP) and were more willing to perform blood collection at home (60% vs. 32% for FP). CONCLUSIONS These data show that self-sampling is accurate and feasible within one attempt by the majority of patients without assistance, allowing tight monitoring of RA disease activity as well as identifying individuals at-risk for RA. RA patients seem to prefer upper arm-based self-sampling to traditional finger pricking. TRIAL REGISTRATION DRKS.de Identifier: DRKS00023526 . Registered on November 6, 2020.
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Affiliation(s)
- Johannes Knitza
- Department of Internal Medicine 3, Rheumatology and Immunology Friedrich-Alexander University Erlangen-Nürnberg and Universitätsklinikum Erlangen, Erlangen, Germany.
- Deutsches Zentrum für Immuntherapie, Friedrich-Alexander University Erlangen-Nürnberg and Universitätsklinikum Erlangen, Erlangen, Germany.
- University Grenoble Alpes, AGEIS, Grenoble, France.
| | - Koray Tascilar
- Department of Internal Medicine 3, Rheumatology and Immunology Friedrich-Alexander University Erlangen-Nürnberg and Universitätsklinikum Erlangen, Erlangen, Germany
- Deutsches Zentrum für Immuntherapie, Friedrich-Alexander University Erlangen-Nürnberg and Universitätsklinikum Erlangen, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Nicolas Vuillerme
- University Grenoble Alpes, AGEIS, Grenoble, France
- Institut Universitaire de France, Paris, France
- LabCom Telecom4Health, Orange Labs & Univ. Grenoble Alpes, CNRS, Inria, Grenoble INP-UGA, Grenoble, France
| | | | | | - Giulia Corte
- Department of Internal Medicine 3, Rheumatology and Immunology Friedrich-Alexander University Erlangen-Nürnberg and Universitätsklinikum Erlangen, Erlangen, Germany
- Deutsches Zentrum für Immuntherapie, Friedrich-Alexander University Erlangen-Nürnberg and Universitätsklinikum Erlangen, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Louis Schuster
- Department of Internal Medicine 3, Rheumatology and Immunology Friedrich-Alexander University Erlangen-Nürnberg and Universitätsklinikum Erlangen, Erlangen, Germany
- Deutsches Zentrum für Immuntherapie, Friedrich-Alexander University Erlangen-Nürnberg and Universitätsklinikum Erlangen, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Timothée Aubourg
- University Grenoble Alpes, AGEIS, Grenoble, France
- LabCom Telecom4Health, Orange Labs & Univ. Grenoble Alpes, CNRS, Inria, Grenoble INP-UGA, Grenoble, France
| | | | | | | | - Arnd Kleyer
- Department of Internal Medicine 3, Rheumatology and Immunology Friedrich-Alexander University Erlangen-Nürnberg and Universitätsklinikum Erlangen, Erlangen, Germany
- Deutsches Zentrum für Immuntherapie, Friedrich-Alexander University Erlangen-Nürnberg and Universitätsklinikum Erlangen, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Sebastian Boeltz
- Department of Internal Medicine 3, Rheumatology and Immunology Friedrich-Alexander University Erlangen-Nürnberg and Universitätsklinikum Erlangen, Erlangen, Germany
- Deutsches Zentrum für Immuntherapie, Friedrich-Alexander University Erlangen-Nürnberg and Universitätsklinikum Erlangen, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Axel J Hueber
- Department of Internal Medicine 3, Rheumatology and Immunology Friedrich-Alexander University Erlangen-Nürnberg and Universitätsklinikum Erlangen, Erlangen, Germany
- Division of Rheumatology, Nürnberg Hospital, Paracelsus Medical University, Nürnberg, Germany
| | - Gerhard Krönke
- Department of Internal Medicine 3, Rheumatology and Immunology Friedrich-Alexander University Erlangen-Nürnberg and Universitätsklinikum Erlangen, Erlangen, Germany
- Deutsches Zentrum für Immuntherapie, Friedrich-Alexander University Erlangen-Nürnberg and Universitätsklinikum Erlangen, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Georg Schett
- Department of Internal Medicine 3, Rheumatology and Immunology Friedrich-Alexander University Erlangen-Nürnberg and Universitätsklinikum Erlangen, Erlangen, Germany
- Deutsches Zentrum für Immuntherapie, Friedrich-Alexander University Erlangen-Nürnberg and Universitätsklinikum Erlangen, Erlangen, Germany
| | - David Simon
- Department of Internal Medicine 3, Rheumatology and Immunology Friedrich-Alexander University Erlangen-Nürnberg and Universitätsklinikum Erlangen, Erlangen, Germany
- Deutsches Zentrum für Immuntherapie, Friedrich-Alexander University Erlangen-Nürnberg and Universitätsklinikum Erlangen, Erlangen, Germany
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Knitza J, Knevel R, Raza K, Bruce T, Eimer E, Gehring I, Mathsson-Alm L, Poorafshar M, Hueber AJ, Schett G, Johannesson M, Catrina A, Klareskog L. Toward Earlier Diagnosis Using Combined eHealth Tools in Rheumatology: The Joint Pain Assessment Scoring Tool (JPAST) Project. JMIR Mhealth Uhealth 2020; 8:e17507. [PMID: 32348258 PMCID: PMC7260666 DOI: 10.2196/17507] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/17/2019] [Revised: 02/10/2020] [Accepted: 03/22/2020] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Outcomes of patients with inflammatory rheumatic diseases have significantly improved over the last three decades, mainly due to therapeutic innovations, more timely treatment, and a recognition of the need to monitor response to treatment and to titrate treatments accordingly. Diagnostic delay remains a major challenge for all stakeholders. The combination of electronic health (eHealth) and serologic and genetic markers holds great promise to improve the current management of patients with inflammatory rheumatic diseases by speeding up access to appropriate care. The Joint Pain Assessment Scoring Tool (JPAST) project, funded by the European Union (EU) European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT) Health program, is a unique European project aiming to enable and accelerate personalized precision medicine for early treatment in rheumatology, ultimately also enabling prevention. The aim of the project is to facilitate these goals while at the same time, reducing cost for society and patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Johannes Knitza
- Department of Internal Medicine 3 - Rheumatology and Immunology, Friedrich-Alexander University Erlangen-Nürnberg, University Hospital Erlangen, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Rachel Knevel
- Department of Rheumatology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, Netherlands.,Division of Rheumatology, Inflammation and Immunity, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Karim Raza
- Department of Rheumatology, Sandwell and West, Birmingham Hospitals NHS Trust, Birmingham, United Kingdom.,Institute of Inflammation and Ageing, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, United Kingdom
| | - Tor Bruce
- Ocean Observations, Stockholm, Sweden
| | | | | | | | | | - Axel J Hueber
- Department of Internal Medicine 3 - Rheumatology and Immunology, Friedrich-Alexander University Erlangen-Nürnberg, University Hospital Erlangen, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Georg Schett
- Department of Internal Medicine 3 - Rheumatology and Immunology, Friedrich-Alexander University Erlangen-Nürnberg, University Hospital Erlangen, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Martina Johannesson
- Division of Rheumatology, Department of Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Anca Catrina
- Division of Rheumatology, Department of Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Lars Klareskog
- Division of Rheumatology, Department of Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden
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- Division of Rheumatology, Department of Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden
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Blümmel AS, Drepper F, Knapp B, Eimer E, Warscheid B, Müller M, Fröbel J. Structural features of the TatC membrane protein that determine docking and insertion of a twin-arginine signal peptide. J Biol Chem 2017; 292:21320-21329. [PMID: 29089385 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.m117.812560] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/16/2017] [Revised: 10/26/2017] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
Twin-arginine translocation (Tat) systems transport folded proteins across cellular membranes with the concerted action of mostly three membrane proteins: TatA, TatB, and TatC. Hetero-oligomers of TatB and TatC form circular substrate-receptor complexes with a central binding cavity for twin-arginine-containing signal peptides. After binding of the substrate, energy from an electro-chemical proton gradient is transduced into the recruitment of TatA oligomers and into the actual translocation event. We previously reported that Tat-dependent protein translocation into membrane vesicles of Escherichia coli is blocked by the compound N,N'-dicyclohexylcarbodiimide (DCCD, DCC). We have now identified a highly conserved glutamate residue in the transmembrane region of E. coli TatC, which when modified by DCCD interferes with the deep insertion of a Tat signal peptide into the TatBC receptor complex. Our findings are consistent with a hydrophobic binding cavity formed by TatB and TatC inside the lipid bilayer. Moreover, we found that DCCD mediates discrete intramolecular cross-links of E. coli TatC involving both its N- and C-tails. These results confirm the close proximity of two distant sequence sections of TatC proposed to concertedly function as the primary docking site for twin-arginine signal peptides.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anne-Sophie Blümmel
- From the Institute of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, ZBMZ, Faculty of Medicine.,the Spemann Graduate School of Biology and Medicine (SGBM).,the Faculty of Biology
| | - Friedel Drepper
- the Institute of Biology II, Biochemistry: Functional Proteomics, Faculty of Biology, and.,the BIOSS Centre for Biological Signalling Studies, University of Freiburg, 79104 Freiburg, Germany
| | - Bettina Knapp
- the Institute of Biology II, Biochemistry: Functional Proteomics, Faculty of Biology, and
| | - Ekaterina Eimer
- From the Institute of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, ZBMZ, Faculty of Medicine.,the Faculty of Biology
| | - Bettina Warscheid
- the Institute of Biology II, Biochemistry: Functional Proteomics, Faculty of Biology, and.,the BIOSS Centre for Biological Signalling Studies, University of Freiburg, 79104 Freiburg, Germany
| | - Matthias Müller
- From the Institute of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, ZBMZ, Faculty of Medicine,
| | - Julia Fröbel
- From the Institute of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, ZBMZ, Faculty of Medicine
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Eimer E, Fröbel J, Blümmel AS, Müller M. TatE as a Regular Constituent of Bacterial Twin-arginine Protein Translocases. J Biol Chem 2015; 290:29281-9. [PMID: 26483541 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.m115.696005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/05/2015] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Twin-arginine translocation (Tat) systems mediate the transmembrane translocation of completely folded proteins that possess a conserved twin-arginine (RR) motif in their signal sequences. Many Tat systems consist of three essential membrane components named TatA, TatB, and TatC. It is not understood why some bacteria, in addition, constitutively express a functional paralog of TatA called TatE. Here we show, in live Escherichia coli cells, that, upon expression of a Tat substrate protein, fluorescently labeled TatE-GFP relocates from a rather uniform distribution in the plasma membrane into a number of discrete clusters. Clustering strictly required an intact RR signal peptide and the presence of the TatABC subunits, suggesting that TatE-GFP associates with functional Tat translocases. In support of this notion, site-specific photo cross-linking revealed interactions of TatE with TatA, TatB, and TatC. The same approach also disclosed a pronounced tendency of TatE and TatA to hetero-oligomerize. Under in vitro conditions, we found that TatE replaces TatA inefficiently. Our collective results are consistent with TatE being a regular constituent of the Tat translocase in E. coli.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ekaterina Eimer
- From the Institute of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Faculty of Biology, and
| | - Julia Fröbel
- From the Institute of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
| | - Anne-Sophie Blümmel
- From the Institute of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Faculty of Biology, and Spemann Graduate School of Biology and Medicine, University of Freiburg, 79104 Freiburg, Germany
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