Good response to IL-1beta blockade by anakinra in a 23-year-old CINCA/NOMID patient without mutations in the CIAS1 gene. Cytokine profiles and functional studies

Chronic infantile neurological cutaneous and articular (CINCA) syndrome is an autoinflammatory disease, defined by the triad of urticarial rash, neurological manifestations, and arthropathy, accompanied by recurrent fevers and systemic inflammation. Increasing neurological deficits result from aseptic meningitis. Sensorineural hearing loss and progressive loss of vision caused by keratoconjunctivitis or papilloedema may emerge. An autosomal-dominant inheritance is suspected although sporadic cases are reported frequently. Sixty per cent of CINCA patients carry mutations in the cold-induced autoinflammatory syndrome (CIAS1) gene. We report the favourable response of a 23-year-old CINCA patient without CIAS1 mutations to treatment with the recombinant interleukin-1 (IL-1) receptor antagonist anakinra.

[Osteoid osteomas of the fingers: an atypical localization? Two case reports and a review of the literature]

Osteoid osteomas are painful bone tumors that usually occur in childhood or adolescence. Despite the small size of the bony lesions osteoid osteomas can cause persistent pain. Pathogenesis has not been completely understood. Remission usually occurs within several months to years. Therefore surgical therapy is not indicated in all cases. Nevertheless, as a result of reduced quality of life due to pain, sufficient analgesic/antiinflammatory therapy needs to be provided. We report on two male patients, aged 10 and 14 years, who presented with arthritis of the finger joints. As a result of both patients' histories, and following radiographic imaging and magnetic resonance imaging, a diagnosis of osteoid osteoma was made. Remission could be achieved in both patients following treatment with nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs (NSAIDs).In addition to the typical sites at the long bones of the lower extremity, osteoid osteomas can also localize to other sites such as fingers. In the case of definitive diagnosis and under close follow-up, medical treatment with NSAIDs is an alternative to surgical strategies. The operative risk should be weighed against the risk of long-term treatment with NSAIDs.

Systemischer Lupus erythematodes im Kindes- und Jugendalter

Children and adolescents represent 15-20% of all systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) patients. Although the clinical presentation and immunological findings are similar to those of adult SLE, children usually have a more severe disease at onset with higher rates of organ involvement. Rapid diagnosis and subsequent therapy are necessary to prevent major organ damage. The survival of children with SLE has improved dramatically over the past decades due to the introduction of steroids and immunosuppressive drugs. New strategies to improve the long-term course of the disease and to reduce potential drug toxicities are necessary. A common concept does not exist. There are some promising new drugs. This review article summarizes the epidemiology, pathogenesis, clinical manifestations and therapy of childhood and adolescent-onset SLE.

Induction of interleukin-6 by depolarization of neurons

Interleukin-6 (IL-6) has neuromodulatory and neuroprotective effects in vivo. It is expressed in glial cells and neurons both under physiological conditions and in various neurological diseases. Although the expression of IL-6 in glia has been intensely investigated, little is known about the regulation of IL-6 production by neurons. Therefore, we investigated the regulation of IL-6 expression in neurons. Membrane depolarization raised IL-6 mRNA accumulation in primary cortical cells and the PC-12 cell line. In vivo, IL-6 mRNA in the brain increased significantly after epileptic seizures. To investigate IL-6 gene transcription, PC-12 cells were transfected with reporter gene constructs containing the human IL-6 promoter. Membrane depolarization raised IL-6 transcription twofold to fourfold. This increase could be blocked by lowering extracellular Ca(2+) levels or by inhibiting L-type Ca(2+) channels or Ca(2+)/calmodulin-dependent protein kinases. Internal mutations in various elements of the IL-6 promoter revealed the glucocorticoid response element (GRE) 2 to be a depolarization-responsive element. Although the GRE2 bound the glucocorticoid receptor (GR) and was stimulated by dexamethasone, the GR was not responsible for the effect of membrane depolarization because a consensus GRE did not mediate stimulation by membrane depolarization. Instead, another yet undefined factor that binds to the IL-6 GRE2 may mediate the response to membrane depolarization. These data demonstrate that the expression of IL-6 in neurons is regulated by membrane depolarization and suggest a novel Ca(2+)-responsive promoter element. Through this mechanism, IL-6 may function as a neuromodulator induced by neuronal activity.

Adenosine-induced expression of interleukin-6 in astrocytes through protein kinase A and NF-IL-6

In various neurologic diseases, astrocytes express interleukin-6 (IL-6), which is an endogenous pyrogen, a neuroprotective factor, and a regulator of the blood-brain barrier. The expression of IL-6 in astrocytes is stimulated by extracellular adenosine through A(2B) receptors. To investigate the signaling cascade that induces IL-6 gene transcription further, we transfected primary mouse astrocytes with a reporter gene construct, in which luciferase expression is directed by the human IL-6 promoter. Expression of PKI, an inhibitor of protein kinase A (PKA), interfered with IL-6 transcription indicating that PKA mediates the effect of adenosine. The CAAT box of the IL-6 promoter is necessary for the stimulation by adenosine as a mutation in this element reduced the stimulation by adenosine. Indeed, the cAMP agonist forskolin increased the binding of the transcription factors NF-IL-6 and C/EBPdelta to the CAAT box of the IL-6 promoter in nuclear extracts of astrocytes. Inhibition of the de novo synthesis of NF-IL-6 by cycloheximide or an antisense oligonucleotide reduced the enhancement of NF-IL-6 binding to the CAAT box and inhibited stimulation of IL-6 transcription by forskolin. In addition, overexpression of NF-IL-6 induced IL-6 transcription. This suggests that adenosine induces the de novo synthesis of NF-IL-6 through activation of PKA and thereby stimulates transcription of IL-6 in astrocytes.

Bradykinin induces interleukin-6 expression in astrocytes through activation of nuclear factor-kappaB

Bradykinin, a mediator of inflammation, is produced in the brain during trauma and stroke. It is thought to open the blood-brain barrier, although the mechanism is unclear. We have investigated, therefore, the effect of bradykinin on the expression of interleukin-6 (IL-6), a putative modulator of the blood-brain barrier, in astrocytes. IL-6 gene transcription was evaluated by transient transfection of the human IL-6 promoter linked to the luciferase gene. In murine astrocytes, bradykinin stimulated IL-6 secretion and gene transcription. The effect of bradykinin was blocked by KN-93, an inhibitor of Ca2+/calmodulin-dependent protein kinases, and by bisindolylmaleimide I, an inhibitor of protein kinase C, suggesting the involvement of these protein kinases. Mutations in the multiple response element and the binding site for nuclear factor-kappaB (NF-kappaB), but not in other known elements of the IL-6 promoter, interfered with induction of IL-6 transcription. The involvement of NF-kappaB was supported further by the finding that overexpression of nmIkappaB alpha, a stable inhibitor of NF-kappaB, inhibited the induction of IL-6 by bradykinin. Bradykinin activated NF-kappaB in primary astrocytes as shown by increased DNA binding of NF-kappaB. These data demonstrate that bradykinin stimulates IL-6 expression through activation of NF-kappaB, which may explain several inflammatory effects of bradykinin.