HSPA4 upregulation induces immune evasion via ALKBH5/CD58 axis in gastric cancer

INTRODUCTION

Gastric cancer (GC) is one of the leading causes of cancer-related death worldwide. Recently, targeted therapies including PD1 (programmed cell death 1) antibodies have been used in advanced GC patients. However, identifying new biomarker for immunotherapy is still urgently needed. The objective of this study is to unveil the immune evasion mechanism of GC cells and identify new biomarkers for immune checkpoint blockade therapy in patients with GC.

METHODS

Coimmunoprecipitation and meRIP were performed to investigate the mechanism of immune evasion of GC cells. Cocuture system was established to evaluate the cytotoxicity of cocultured CD8+ T cells. The clinical significance of HSPA4 upregulation was analyzed by multiplex fluorescent immunohistochemistry staining in GC tumor tissues.

RESULTS

Histone acetylation causes HSPA4 upregulation in GC tumor tissues. HSPA4 upregulation increases the protein stability of m6A demethylase ALKBH5. ALKBH5 decreases CD58 in GC cells through m6A methylation regulation. The cytotoxicity of CD8+ T cells are impaired and PD1/PDL1 axis is activated when CD8+ T cells are cocultured with HSPA4 overexpressed GC cells. HSPA4 upregulation is associated with worse 5-year overall survival of GC patients receiving only surgery. It is an independent prognosis factor for worse survival of GC patients. In GC patients receiving the combined chemotherapy with anti-PD1 immunotherapy, HSPA4 upregulation is observed in responders compared with non-responders.

CONCLUSION

HSPA4 upregulation causes the decrease of CD58 in GC cells via HSPA4/ALKBH5/CD58 axis, followed by PD1/PDL1 activation and impairment of CD8+ T cell's cytotoxicity, finally induces immune evasion of GC cells. HSPA4 upregulation is associated with worse overall survival of GC patients with only surgery. Meanwhile, HSPA4 upregulation predicts for better response in GC patients receiving the combined immunotherapy.

Association of CD58 rs12044852 and rs2300747 polymorphisms with the risk of multiple sclerosis: A systematic review and meta-analysis

OBJECTIVE

Multiple sclerosis is a serious neurodegenerative disorder that causes disability in young adults. Genetic predisposition of multiple sclerosis is well documented and several single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of the CD58 were found to be associated with this disease. This systematic review and meta-analysis were done with the aim of finding the association between CD58 gene SNPs (rs12044852 and rs2300747) and the risk of multiple sclerosis (MS).

METHOD

A comprehensive search was done in PubMed, Google Scholar, Embase, and MSGene.org to find the relevant data. Our search yielded 13 relevant publications which were included for meta-analysis consisting of 5194 cases and 5766 controls. All the statistical analysis was conducted using meta and metafor packages in R studio. The odds ratio (OR) along with 95 % confidence intervals and p values were determined using the fixed effects and random effects model. The I2 test was done to measure heterogeneity. Subgroup analysis was performed along with analysis for publication bias.

RESULTS

We found significant association for both rs12044852 (allelic, dominant, over-dominant, heterozygous, and homozygous models) and rs2300747 (allelic, dominant, over-dominant, heterozygous models) with multiple sclerosis. Both the SNPs provided a protective effect for multiple sclerosis. Subgroup analysis indicated that rs12044852 polymorphism provided a protective effect in both Asians and Caucasians. However, for rs2300747, the Asian population showed no statistically significant association with the risk of MS.

CONCLUSION

Polymorphism of rs12044852 and rs2300747 of the CD58 gene provided a protective effect for multiple sclerosis. The protective effect is more prominent in Caucasian populations compared to Asians.

Detection of Aberrant CD58 Expression in a Wide Spectrum of Lymphoma Subtypes: Implications for Treatment Resistance

CD58 or lymphocyte function-associated antigen-3, is a ligand for CD2 receptors on T and NK cells and is required for their activation and target cell killing. We recently showed a trend toward higher frequency of CD58 aberrations in patients with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) who progressed on chimeric antigen receptor-T-cell treatment compared with those who responded. Given that CD58 status may be an important measure of T-cell-mediated therapy failure, we developed a CD58 immunohistochemical assay and evaluated CD58 status in 748 lymphomas. Our results show that CD58 protein expression is downregulated in a significant proportion of all subtypes of B-, T-, and NK-cell lymphomas. CD58 loss is significantly related to poor prognostic indicators in DLBCL and to ALK and DUSP22 rearrangements in anaplastic large-cell lymphoma. However, it is not associated with overall or progression-free survival in any of the lymphoma subtypes. As eligibility for chimeric antigen receptor-T-cell therapy is being extended to a broader spectrum of lymphomas, mechanisms of resistance, such as target downregulation and CD58 loss, may limit therapeutic success. CD58 status is therefore an important biomarker in lymphoma patients who may benefit from next-generation T-cell-mediated therapies or other novel approaches that mitigate immune escape.

The CD2-CD58 axis: A novel marker predicting poor prognosis in patients with low-grade gliomas and potential therapeutic approaches

INTRODUCTION

Low-grade gliomas (LGGs) are currently considered a premalignant condition for high-grade gliomas (HGGs) and are characterized by a relatively intact immune system. Immunotherapeutic modalities may offer a safe and effective treatment option for these patients. However, the CD2-CD58 axis, an important component of the immunological synapse, remains unknown in LGG.

METHODS

RNA-seq data from TCGA databases were analyzed. Immune cell infiltration was determined using a single-sample gene set enrichment analysis (ssGSEA) based on integrated immune gene sets from published studies. Kaplan-Meier survival analysis, univariate and multivariate logistic analysis, and the ESTIMATE algorithm were employed to evaluate the impact of the CD2-CD58 axis on adult LGG patients.

RESULTS

The expression of the CD2-CD58 axis was found to be elevated with increasing of WHO grade (p < .05). Uni- and multi-variable logistic analysis demonstrated that age, WHO grade, and CD58 levels were associated with poor prognosis in LGG patients with (p < .01). MetaSape pathways analysis revealed the involvement of CD58 in regulating T cell activation, leukocyte-mediated immunity, and the positive regulation of cell activation in WHO grade II and III. CD58 expression correlated with infiltrations of CD4+ lymphocytes, NK cells, and macrophages cells. The ESTIMATE algorithm indicated that patients with high CD58 expression had significantly higher immune scores compared with low CD58 expression in WHO grade II/III, but no statistical difference was observed in WHO grade IV (p < .05). Furthermore, correlation analysis demonstrated the significant association between CD58 and CD274 (r = 0.581, p < .001), HAVCR2 (r = 0.58i7, p < .001), and LGALS9 (r = 0.566, p < .001). Immunohistochemical staining further confirmed the relationship of CD58, HAVCR2, WHO grade, and prognosis in grade II and III patients.

CONCLUSION

Overall, our findings highlight the significant association between the CD2-CD58 axis and poor survival in LGG patients. High CD58 expression is implicated in T cell-mediated immune responses as an immunosuppressive factor and affect inhibitory immune checkpoint genes.

Virtual Screening and Binding Analysis of Potential CD58 Inhibitors in Colorectal Cancer (CRC)

Human cell surface receptor CD58, also known as lymphocyte function-associated antigen 3 (LFA-3), plays a critical role in the early stages of immune response through interacting with CD2. Recent research identified CD58 as a surface marker of colorectal cancer (CRC), which can upregulate the Wnt pathway and promote self-renewal of colorectal tumor-initiating cells (CT-ICs) by degradation of Dickkopf 3. In addition, it was also shown that knockdown of CD58 significantly impaired tumor growth. In this study, we developed a structure-based virtual screening pipeline using Autodock Vina and binding analysis and identified a group of small molecular compounds having the potential to bind with CD58. Five of them significantly inhibited the growth of the SW620 cell line in the following in vitro studies. Their proposed binding models were further verified by molecular dynamics (MD) simulations, and some pharmaceutically relevant chemical and physical properties were predicted. The hits described in this work may be considered interesting leads or structures for the development of new and more efficient CD58 inhibitors.

Conformationally constrained cyclic grafted peptidomimetics targeting protein-protein interactions

Sunflower trypsin inhibitor-1 (SFTI-1) structure is used for designing grafted peptides as a possible therapeutic agent. The grafted peptide exhibits multiple conformations in solution due to the presence of proline in the structure of the peptide. To lock the grafted peptide into a major conformation in solution, a dibenzofuran moiety (DBF) was incorporated in the peptide backbone structure, replacing the Pro-Pro sequence. NMR studies indicated a major conformation of the grafted peptide in solution. Detailed structural studies suggested that SFTI-DBF adopts a twisted beta-strand structure in solution. The surface plasmon resonance analysis showed that SFTI-DBF binds to CD58 protein. A model for the protein-SFTI-DBF complex was proposed based on docking studies. These studies suggested that SFTI-1 grafted peptide can be used to design stable peptides for therapeutic purposes by grafting organic functional groups and amino acids. However, when a similar strategy was used with another grafted peptide, the resulting peptide did not produce a single major conformation, and its biological activity was lost. Thus, conformational constraints depend on the sequence of amino acids used for SFTI-1 grafting.

CD58 acts as a tumor promotor in hepatocellular carcinoma via activating the AKT/GSK-3β/β-catenin pathway

BACKGROUND

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the most prevalent malignancies worldwide because of rapid progression and high incidence of metastasis or recurrence. Accumulating evidence shows that CD58-expressing tumor cell is implicated in development of various cancers. The present study aimed to reveal the functional significance of CD58 in HCC progression and the underlying mechanisms.

METHODS

Immunohistochemical staining (IHC), and western blotting were used to detect the expression of CD58 in HCC tissues and cells. The levels of sCD58 (a soluble form of CD58) in the cell supernatants and serum were assessed by ELISA. CCK-8, colony formation, and xenograft assays were used to detect the function of CD58 on proliferation in vitro and in vivo. Transwell assay and sphere formation assay were performed to evaluate the effect of CD58 and sCD58 on metastasis and self-renewal ability of HCC cells. Western blotting, immunofluorescence (IF), TOP/FOP Flash reporter assay, and subcellular fractionation assay were conducted to investigate the molecular regulation between CD58/sCD58 and AKT/GSK-3β/β-catenin axis in HCC cells.

RESULTS

CD58 was significantly upregulated in HCC tissues. Elevation of CD58 expression correlated with more satellite foci and vascular invasion, and poorer tumor-free and overall survival in HCC patients. Higher sCD58 levels were in HCC patients' serum compared to healthy individuals. Functionally, CD58 promotes the proliferation of HCC cells in vitro and in vivo. Meanwhile, CD58 and sCD58 induce metastasis, self-renewal and pluripotency in HCC cells in vitro. Mechanistically, CD58 activates the AKT/GSK-3β/β-catenin signaling pathway by increasing phosphorylation of AKT or GSK3β signaling, promoting expression of Wnt/β-catenin target proteins and TCF/LEF-mediated transcriptional activity. Furthermore, AKT activator SC-79 or inhibitor LY294002 abolished the inhibitory effect of CD58 silencing on the proliferation, metastasis, and stemness of HCC cells.

CONCLUSIONS

Taken together, CD58 promotes HCC progression and metastasis via activating the AKT/GSK-3β/β-catenin pathway, suggesting that CD58 is a novel prognostic biomarker and therapeutic target for HCC.

The CD58-CD2 axis is co-regulated with PD-L1 via CMTM6 and shapes anti-tumor immunity

The cell-autonomous balance of immune-inhibitory and -stimulatory signals is a critical process in cancer immune evasion. Using patient-derived co-cultures, humanized mouse models, and single-cell RNA-sequencing of patient melanomas biopsied before and on immune checkpoint blockade, we find that intact cancer cell-intrinsic expression of CD58 and ligation to CD2 is required for anti-tumor immunity and is predictive of treatment response. Defects in this axis promote immune evasion through diminished T cell activation, impaired intratumoral T cell infiltration and proliferation, and concurrently increased PD-L1 protein stabilization. Through CRISPR-Cas9 and proteomics screens, we identify and validate CMTM6 as critical for CD58 stability and upregulation of PD-L1 upon CD58 loss. Competition between CD58 and PD-L1 for CMTM6 binding determines their rate of endosomal recycling over lysosomal degradation. Overall, we describe an underappreciated yet critical axis of cancer immunity and provide a molecular basis for how cancer cells balance immune inhibitory and stimulatory cues.

Case report: Successful management of a refractory double-expressor diffuse large B-cell lymphoma patient under the guidance of in vitro high-throughput drug sensitivity test

Introduction

Double-expressor diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DEL), harboring double expression of MYC and BCL2, has an inferior prognosis following standard first-line therapy with rituximab, cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine, and prednisolone (R-CHOP). We initiated a clinical trial to treat newly diagnosed DEL with R-CHOP plus Bruton's tyrosine kinase (BTK) inhibitor (BTKi) zanubrutinib (ZR-CHOP) and achieved a high complete response (CR) rate while four patients progressed during therapy, one of them carrying ATM and CD58 mutations. We applied an in vitro high-throughput drug sensitivity test for the prediction of clinical responses to different drugs in this patient.

Case presentation

We report a 30-year-old female patient diagnosed with stage III (DEL), with ATM and CD58 mutations. The patient achieved partial response (PR) after two cycles of ZR-CHOP and remained PR after four cycles of ZR-CHOP, while the disease progressed after six cycles of ZR-CHOP. High-throughput drug screening using a panel of 117 compounds identified a range of therapies with efficacy for this patient. The primary tumor cells showed moderate sensitivity to bortezomib, thalidomide, and gemcitabine as a single agent and bortezomib, thalidomide, and dexamethasone (VTD) as a combined regimen. The patient was treated with two cycles of VTD regimen (bortezomib 1.3 mg/m², d1, 4, 8, 11; thalidomide 100 mg, d1-21; dexamethasone 20 mg, d1, 2, 4, 5, 8, 9) and achieved PR with only a small lesion left. Another two cycles of VTD plus gemcitabine were then administered, and the patient achieved CR. Stem cells were mobilized, and autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplantation was carried out afterward. The patient remained CR for more than 3 months after transplantation.

Conclusion

In this article, we present a first-line chemoresistant DEL patient with ATM and CD58 mutations who was treated successfully with VTD plus gemcitabine under the guidance of in vitro high-throughput drug sensitivity test.

CD2-negative lymphoma-associated T-cells: a potential mechanism of immune-evasion in diffuse large B-cell lymphoma

CD2 is a costimulatory protein expressed in all mature T/NK-cells, in particular memory T-cells. CD58 (or LFA-3) is the receptor for CD2 and is ubiquitously expressed. CD2-CD58 interaction has key functions in T-cell activation and organization of the immunological synapse between T- and antigen-presenting cells. Cancer cells have developed multiple mechanisms to evade immune surveillance. Loss of CD58 expression is one frequently reported in diffuse large B-cell lymphomas (DLBCL). On the other hand, in non-hematological neoplasms, tumor infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) with reduced expression of CD2 have been associated with defective cytotoxicity and T-cell exhaustion. Here, we reported a case of DLBCL involving the jejunal mucosa associated with a rim of cytotoxic reactive T-cells with features of immune evasion (CD2- and TCR-) and T-cell exhaustion (PD1 + high). This case likely exemplifies a previously unrecognized immune evasion mechanism in lymphoma involving a decreased CD2 expression in the lymphoma-associated T-cells.

[Epigenetic modification as a therapeutic approach for B-cell lymphoma]

Genes that regulate immunological activities are transiently suppressed by epigenetic modification during the germinal center reaction of B cells and reactivated when B cells exit the germinal center. Mutations of EZH2 and other epigenetic modifier genes are frequently involved in the pathogenesis of follicular lymphoma and lead to silencing of the genes necessary for exiting the germinal center. Tazemetostat, an EZH2 inhibitor, has been approved for the treatment of follicular lymphoma with EZH2 gain-of-function mutations in Japan. Tazemetostat restores the expressions of MHC and CD58 in lymphoma cells and synergistically enhances the immune reactions of T and natural killer cells against lymphoma cells. Tazemetostat also induces lymphoma cells to secrete CCL17/TARC and enhances T-cell migration. CD58 and CCL17 are known to play central roles in the formation of T-cell-rich tumor microenvironment of Hodgkin lymphoma. We found that tazemetostat enhances the expression of genes overexpressed in Hodgkin/Reed-Sternberg cells. Epigenetic modifiers and new molecular targeted therapies are expected to provide new insights into the pathogenesis of lymphoma and mechanisms determining the histology of lymphoma.

Higher Expression of WT1 With Lower CD58 Expression may be Biomarkers for Risk Stratification of Patients With Cytogenetically Normal Acute Myeloid Leukemia

Background: Cytogenetics at diagnosis is the most important prognostic factor for adult acute myeloid leukemia (AML), but nearly 50% of AML patients who exhibit cytogenetically normal AML (CN-AML) do not undergo effective risk stratification. Therefore, the development of potential biomarkers to further define risk stratification for CN-AML patients is worth exploring. Methods: Transcriptome data from 163 cases in the GSE12417-GPL96 dataset and 104 CN-AML patient cases in the GSE71014-GPL10558 dataset were downloaded from the Gene Expression Omnibus database for overall survival (OS) analysis and validation. Results: The combination of Wilms tumor 1 (WT1) and cluster of diffraction 58 (CD58) can predict the prognosis of CN-AML patients. High expression of WT1 and low expression of CD58 were associated with poor OS in CN-AML. Notably, when WT1 and CD58 were used to concurrently predict OS, CN-AML patients were divided into three groups: low risk, WT1^lowCD58^high; intermediate risk, WT1^highCD58^high or WT1^lowCD58^low; and high risk, WT1^highCD58^low. Compared with low-risk patients, intermediate- and high-risk patients had shorter survival time and worse OS. Furthermore, a nomogram model constructed with WT1 and CD58 may personalize and reveal the 1-, 2-, 3-, 4-, and 5-year OS rate of CN-AML patients. Both time-dependent receiver operating characteristics and calibration curves suggested that the nomogram model demonstrated good performance. Conclusion: Higher expression of WT1 with lower CD58 expression may be a potential biomarker for risk stratification of CN-AML patients. Moreover, a nomogram model constructed with WT1 and CD58 may personalize and reveal the 1-, 2-, 3-, 4-, and 5-year OS rates of CN-AML patients.

African Swine Fever Virus CD2v Protein Induces β-Interferon Expression and Apoptosis in Swine Peripheral Blood Mononuclear Cells

African swine fever (ASF) is a hemorrhagic disease of swine characterized by massive lymphocyte depletion in lymphoid tissues due to the apoptosis of B and T cells, a process likely triggered by factors released or secreted by infected macrophages. ASFV CD2v (EP402R) has been implicated in viral virulence and immunomodulation in vitro; however, its actual function(s) remains unknown. We found that CD2v expression in swine PK15 cells induces NF-κB-dependent IFN-β and ISGs transcription and an antiviral state. Similar results were observed for CD2v protein treated swine PBMCs and macrophages, the major ASFV target cell. Notably, treatment of swine PBMCs and macrophages with CD2v protein induced apoptosis. Immunoprecipitation and colocalization studies revealed that CD2v interacts with CD58, the natural host CD2 ligand. Additionally, CD58 knockdown in cells or treatment of cells with an NF-κB inhibitor significantly reduced CD2v-mediated NF-κB activation and IFN-β induction. Further, antibodies directed against CD2v inhibited CD2v-induced NF-κB activation and IFN-β transcription in cells. Overall, results indicate that ASFV CD2v activates NF-κB, which induces IFN signaling and apoptosis in swine lymphocytes/macrophages. We propose that CD2v released from infected macrophages may be a significant factor in lymphocyte apoptosis observed in lymphoid tissue during ASFV infection in pigs.

Upregulated CD58 is associated with clinicopathological characteristics and poor prognosis of patients with pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma

Background

CD58 has been demonstrated to be abnormally expressed in multiple hematopoietic malignancies and solid tumors and plays an essential role in tumorigenesis and progression; however, its clinical significance and prognostic value in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) remain unknown.

Methods

Based on diverse online public databases and 81 PDAC samples of tissue microarray-based immunohistochemistry (IHC), we evaluated CD58 expression in PDAC patients and analyzed its association with clinicopathological characteristics, clinical outcomes, and infiltration of immune cells in PDAC. Furthermore, the correlation between CD58 and the cancer stem cell (CSC)-related, epithelial–mesenchymal transition (EMT)-related, and immune-related markers were detected. Besides, the functional enrichment analysis and related pathways were analyzed and visualized.

Results

CD58 expression was elevated in pancreatitis and PDAC tissues than normal pancreas or adjacent nontumor tissues. The positive cases of CD58 (e.g. more than 50% positive cells) in PDAC account for 95.06% (77/81). Upregulated CD58 in cancer tissues was associated with worse histological grade, larger tumor size, and poorer overall survival and disease-free survival in PDAC patients. Furthermore, Cox multivariate regression analysis revealed that CD58 was an independent prognostic factor in PDAC. CD58 expression was correlated with infiltrations of neutrophils, CD8⁺ T cells, and dendritic cells (DCs). In addition, correlation gene analysis indicated that CD58 expression was strongly correlated with immune-related, EMT-related, and CSC-related markers. Functional enrichment analysis and KEGG pathway manifested that CD58 might be involved in PDAC initiation and progression.

Conclusions

CD58 expression is upregulated in PDAC tissues and its high expression is notably related to poor survival of PDAC. Therefore, CD58 may serve as a novel and effective marker for predicting the prognosis of PDAC patients.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12935-021-02037-0.

CD58 Immunobiology at a Glance

The glycoprotein CD58, also known as lymphocyte-function antigen 3 (LFA-3), is a costimulatory receptor distributed on a broad range of human tissue cells. Its natural ligand CD2 is primarily expressed on the surface of T/NK cells. The CD2-CD58 interaction is an important component of the immunological synapse (IS) that induces activation and proliferation of T/NK cells and triggers a series of intracellular signaling in T/NK cells and target cells, respectively, in addition to promoting cell adhesion and recognition. Furthermore, a soluble form of CD58 (sCD58) is also present in cellular supernatant in vitro and in local tissues in vivo. The sCD58 is involved in T/NK cell-mediated immune responses as an immunosuppressive factor by affecting CD2-CD58 interaction. Altered accumulation of sCD58 may lead to immunosuppression of T/NK cells in the tumor microenvironment, allowing sCD58 as a novel immunotherapeutic target. Recently, the crucial roles of costimulatory molecule CD58 in immunomodulation seem to be reattracting the interests of investigators. In particular, the CD2-CD58 interaction is involved in the regulation of antiviral responses, inflammatory responses in autoimmune diseases, immune rejection of transplantation, and immune evasion of tumor cells. In this review, we provide a comprehensive summary of CD58 immunobiology.

Modulation of co-stimulatory signal from CD2-CD58 proteins by a grafted peptide

Peptides were designed to inhibit the protein-protein interaction of CD2 and CD58 to modulate the immune response. This work involved the design and synthesis of eight different peptides by replacing each amino acid residue in peptide 6 with alanine as well as grafting the peptide to the sunflower trypsin-inhibitor framework. From the alanine scanning studies, mutation at position 2 of the peptide was shown to result in increased potency to inhibit cell adhesion interactions. The most potent peptide from the alanine scanning was further studied for its detailed three-dimensional structure and binding to CD58 protein using surface plasmon resonance and flow cytometry. This peptide was used to graft to the sunflower trypsin inhibitor to improve the stability of the peptide. The grafted peptide, SFTI-a1, was further studied for its potency as well as its thermal, chemical, and enzymatic stability. The grafted peptide exhibited improved activity compared to our previously grafted peptide and was stable against thermal and enzymatic degradation.

Distinct Signatures in the Receptor Repertoire Discriminate CD56bright and CD56dim Natural Killer Cells

NK cells are phenotypically and functionally diverse lymphocytes due to variegated expression of a large array of receptors. NK-cell activity is tightly regulated through integration of receptor-derived inhibitory and activating signals. Thus, the receptor profile of each NK cell ultimately determines its ability to sense aberrant cells and subsequently mediate anti-viral or anti-tumor responses. However, an in-depth understanding of how different receptor repertoires enable distinct immune functions of NK cells is lacking. Therefore, we investigated the phenotypic diversity of primary human NK cells by performing extensive phenotypic characterization of 338 surface molecules using flow cytometry (n = 18). Our results showed that NK cells express at least 146 receptors on their surface. Of those, 136 (>90%) exhibited considerable inter-donor variability. Moreover, comparative analysis of CD56bright and CD56dim NK cells identified 70 molecules with differential expression between the two major NK-cell subsets and allowed discrimination of these subsets via unsupervised hierarchical clustering. These receptors were associated with a broad range of NK-cell functions and multiple molecules were not previously associated with predominant expression on either subset (e.g. CD82 and CD147). Altogether, our study contributes to an improved understanding of the phenotypic diversity of NK cells and its potential functional implications on a cellular and population level. While the identified distinct signatures in the receptor repertoires provide a molecular basis for the differential immune functions exerted by CD56bright and CD56dim NK cells, the observed inter-individual differences in the receptor repertoire of NK cells may contribute to a diverging ability to control certain diseases.

CD2 Immunobiology

The glycoprotein CD2 is a costimulatory receptor expressed mainly on T and NK cells that binds to LFA3, a cell surface protein expressed on e.g., antigen-presenting cells. CD2 has an important role in the formation and organization of the immunological synapse that is formed between T cells and antigen-presenting cells upon cell-cell conjugation and associated intracellular signaling. CD2 expression is upregulated on memory T cells as well as activated T cells and plays an important role in activation of memory T cells despite the coexistence of several other costimulatory pathways. Anti-CD2 monoclonal antibodies have been shown to induce immune modulatory effects in vitro and clinical studies have proven the safety and efficacy of CD2-targeting biologics. Investigators have highlighted that the lack of attention to the CD2/LFA3 costimulatory pathway is a missed opportunity. Overall, CD2 is an attractive target for monoclonal antibodies intended for treatment of pathologies characterized by undesired T cell activation and offers an avenue to more selectively target memory T cells while favoring immune regulation.

Five Genes Associated With Survival in Patients With Lower-grade Gliomas Were Identified by Information-theoretical Analysis

BACKGROUND/AIM

Understanding of the molecular events associated with progression and survival differences in patients with lower-grade gliomas (LGGs) is still unclear. The comparison of findings across studies using different datasets and methods is essential for a new molecular-based classification system. The aim of the study was to identify biomarkers for prognostic classification of patients with LGGs, and furthermore to lay a foundation for future development of targeted therapies for LGGs.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

Using information-theoretic and statistical approaches, we analyzed mRNA expression data for 18,413 genes from LGG samples in order to identify candidate biomarkers for survival. The candidate genes were then evaluated for their potential as prognostic biomarkers using multivariable Cox regression analyses that adjusted for the effects of age and grade.

RESULTS

WEE1, EMP3, E2F7, CD58 and NSUN7 genes were identified as candidate biomarkers of LGGs and their high expression was associated with significantly shorter survival. The hazard ratios for mortality were 5.02 (95% CI=3.40-7.40) for WEE1, 5.45 (95% CI=3.63-8.18) for EMP3, 4.49 (95% CI=3.03-6.66) for E2F7, 4.77 (95% CI=3.22-7.06) for CD58 and 4.38 (95% CI=2.97-6.47) for NSUN7. In addition, the expression pattern of these genes, associated with shorter survival in LGGs, was also observed in glioblastoma multiforme.

CONCLUSION

Identification of genes associated with poor outcomes will provide insights into novel biological mechanisms that may lead to improvement in progression and survival for patients with LGGs.

High-resolution melting curve analysis of polymorphisms within CD58, CD226, HLA-G genes and association with multiple sclerosis susceptibility in a subset of Iranian population: a case-control study

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic inflammatory demyelinating disease of the central nervous system with unknown etiology, which typically is manifested in early to middle adulthood. Recently, genome-wide association studies have identified susceptibility of immune-related genes to be involved in MS predisposition. The goal of the current study was to investigate the association of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP) with the immunologically related genes responsible for the disease, composed of CD58 (rs2300747 A>G), CD226 (rs763361 C>T), and HLA-G (rs1611715 A>C), with MS susceptibility. In this case-control study, a total of 200 patients suffering from relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis and 200 healthy individuals were recruited. DNA was extracted from blood and then all subjects were genotyped for the polymorphism within mentioned genes by high-resolution melting (HRM) real-time PCR method. Statistical analyses were performed using SPSS software (version 20; SPSS, Chicago, IL, USA). Our finding showed that there are significant differences in genotype and allele frequencies between two groups regarding rs763361 (P = 0.035, OR 0.64, CI 95% for C allele) and rs1611715 (P = 0.038, OR 1.57, CI 95% for AA genotype) polymorphisms within CD226 and HLA-G genes, respectively. Concerning rs2300747 polymorphism on CD58 gene, no significant differences were found between cases and controls. In general, results from the current study indicate that CD226 and HLA-G, but not CD58 genetic polymorphisms are associated with increased risk of MS in Isfahan population similar to European populations. However, to elucidate how these SNPs contribute to MS pathogenesis, functional studies are needed.

Genetic Switches between Cancer and Emphysema Resolution of Cigarette-Smoke Induced Inflammation

Cigarette smoke initiates an inflammatory response that has aftermath long after quitting. We segregated former smokers, according to their lung function and their co-founding diseases, in 3 groups: Cancer, Emphysema and COPD. Then we searched for outlier genes in intersections of Venn diagrams where we identified 6 subsets and 23 genes that may be responsible for disease outcome. Genes expressed in the cancer patients with or without emphysema (PPA subset) were BHLH, FPRL2, CD49D, DEADH, NRs4A3, MBLL, GNS, BE675435, ISGF-3, and FLJ23462. Patients with emphysema as co-founding disease, with or without cancer (APP), had only ANXA2 in common. Genes expressed only in non-cancer patients (AAP subset) of COPD group were IL-1A, SOX13, RPP38; TBXA2R, NPEPL1, CFLAR, TFEB, PRKCBP1, IGF1R, DDX11, and KCNAB1. HIV-1Rev was the gene expressed in cancer patients with emphysema (APA subset). Then, we also looked at out-layers genes significantly expressed in all patients (PPP subset with 5066 genes), the down-regulated in Emphysema were MMP9, PLUNC, CEACAM5, and NR4A1 while the up-regulated were F2R, COL15A1, PDE4C, and BGN. We chose genes and checked them at the protein level on immune cells, this showed that neutrophils from Cancer group had increased expression of CD49d, and their total number was also increased in bronchial-alveolar lavage (154%). Macrophages in the lung of patients with emphysema were associated with a significant increase of adhesion molecule CD58 and to significant CD95 decrease, indicating they do not die. Besides, macrophages downregulated MMP9 in the lung compared to blood macrophages. Overall, we find that cancer progression requires a stickier and greater number of neutrophils in the lung while emphysema requires stickier and longevous macrophages to lead matrix destruction, and together with higher expression of SOX13 and RPP38, may promote autoimmunity. We also identified two genes, ANXA2 and HIV1-rev, that may be a pivot between cancer and emphysema outcome of inflammation.

Association of CD58 Polymorphisms and its Protein Expression with the Development and Prognosis of Autoimmune Thyroid Diseases

The prognosis of autoimmune thyroid diseases (AITDs), including Graves' disease (GD) and Hashimoto's disease (HD), varies among patients. The interaction of CD58 and its ligand (CD2) promotes the differentiation of regulatory T cells and suppresses the immune response. To clarify the association of CD58 expression with the pathogenesis and prognosis of AITDs, we genotyped polymorphisms in the CD58 gene including rs12044852A/C (SNP1), rs2300747A/G (SNP2), rs1335532C/T (SNP3), rs1016140G/T (SNP4), rs1414275C/T (SNP5) and rs11588376C/T (SNP6). The CD58 SNPs were genotyped in 177 GD patients, 193 HD patients and 116 healthy volunteers (control subjects). We used the Polymerase chain reaction-Restriction Fragment Length Polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) method for the genotyping of SNP1 and SNPs3-6 and the TaqMan® SNP genotyping assay for the genotyping of SNP2. The frequencies of the AA genotype in SNP1 tend to be high in all patients with AITDs than in control subjects, although it was not significant. The GG genotype of SNP2, the CC genotype of SNP3, the TT genotype of SNP4, the CC genotype of SNP5 and the CC genotype of SNP6 were all significantly more frequent in patients with AITDs than in control subjects. The proportion of CD58⁺ cells in monocytes was significantly lower in healthy individuals with each of these risk genotypes of AITDs and lower in GD and HD patients than that in healthy controls. In conclusion, CD58 SNPs are involved in AITD susceptibility through the reduction in CD58 expression, which probably suppresses regulatory T cells.

Analysis of chosen SNVs in GPC5, CD58 and IRF8 genes in multiple sclerosis patients

PURPOSE

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is an autoimmune disease of the central nervous system with a neurodegenerative compound. Heterogenetic background of autoimmunity pathway components has been suggested in the MS pathogenesis. The main aim of our study was to evaluate the association between selected polymorphisms of theCD58, IRF8 and GPC5 genes and treatment effectiveness in a group of relapsing-remitting MS patients. This is the first study of MS patients from Podlaskie Region in the Polish population.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The study group comprised 174 relapsing-remitting MS patients diagnosed under 40 years of age. Genotyping was performed using ready to use TaqMan assays.

RESULTS

We demonstrate a strong association of the polymorphisms with sex, age of onset and response to the treatment applied. A significant correlation was observed in the presence of allele T of rs10492503 polymorphism inGPC5 gene with sex and age of MS onset. Logistic regression analysis revealed an increased risk of the interaction of rs17445836 in IRF8 gene with male sex and the type of treatment (OR = 3.80, p < 0.05), and a decreased risk in the interaction of female sex with disease progress according to the EDSS scale (OR=-2.33, p < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

The analysis of the correlation between different alleles, genotypes and clinical status confirmed the interaction between the genetic factors of age of onset and response to therapy. The study suggests that genetic variants inGPC5, CD58 and IRF8 genes may be of clinical interest in MS as predictors of age of onset and response to therapy.

Contribution of Genetic and Clinical Risk Factors to Development of Candidemia in Patients Receiving Home Parenteral Nutrition

BACKGROUND

Patients receiving home parenteral nutrition (HPN) have an increased risk for central line-associated bloodstream infections (CLABSIs), including candidemia. Recently, 7 single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in TLR1, CD58, LCE4A-Clorf68, and TAGAP have been associated with the development of candidemia. Identification of host-genetic as well as clinical risk factors may help to identify patients who have an increased susceptibility to such infections. The aim of this study was to investigate the relevance of the reported SNPs in patients receiving HPN, and to explore clinical risk factors associated with candidemia.

METHODS

We analyzed blood samples of adult patients who started HPN between 1976 and 2017 at our referral center for intestinal failure. Primary outcome was the association between TLR1, CD58, LCE4A-Clorf68, or TAGAP SNPs and candidemia. Secondary outcomes included the relation between severity of infection and these SNPs, and clinical risk factors for candidemia.

RESULTS

Of 341 included patients, 42 (12%) experienced a candidemia (range 1-6). None of the 7 SNPs were associated with candidemia or the severity of infection. The rate of non-Candida-related CLABSIs was significantly associated with candidemia (rate ratio, 1.29; 95% CI, 1.14-1.46; P < 0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

None of 7 known SNPs in TLR1, CD58, LCE4A-Clorf68, or TAGAP were associated with candidemia or severity of infection in patients receiving HPN. The rate of non-Candida-related CLABSIs was significantly associated with the development of candidemia. The latter supports the key role of aseptic catheter handling with respect to Candida susceptibility in patients receiving HPN.

Lack of T-cell-mediated IL-2 and TNFα production is linked to decreased CD58 expression in intestinal tissue during acute simian immunodeficiency virus infection

For an effective T-cell activation and response, co-stimulation is required in addition to the antigen-specific signal from their antigen receptors. The CD2/CD58 interaction is considered as one of the most important T-cell co-stimulatory pathways for T-cell activation and proliferation, and its role in regulating intestinal T-cell function in acute and chronic SIV -infected macaques is poorly documented. Here, we demonstrated a significant reduction of CD58 expression in both T- and B-cell populations during acute SIV infection along with high plasma viral load and a loss of intestinal CD4⁺ T cells compared to SIV-uninfected control macaques. The reduction of CD58 expression in T cells was correlated with the reduced expression of T-cell-mediated IL-2 and TNFα production. Together, these results indicate that reduction in the CD2/CD58 interaction pathway in mucosal lymphocytes might play a crucial role in mucosal T-cell dysfunction during acute SIV/HIV infection.

Investigating cyclic peptides inhibiting CD2-CD58 interactions through molecular dynamics and molecular docking methods

The CD2-CD58 protein-protein interaction is known to favor the recognition of antigen presenting cells by T cells. The structural, energetics, and dynamical properties of three known cyclic CD58 ligands, named P6, P7, and RTD-c, are studied through molecular dynamics (MD) simulations and molecular docking calculations. The ligands are built so as to mimic the C and F β-strands of protein CD2, connected via turn inducers. The MD analyses focus on the location of the ligands with respect to the experimental binding site and on the direct and water-mediated hydrogen bonds (H bonds) they form with CD58. Ligand P6, with a sequence close to the experimental β-strands of CD2, presents characteristics that explain its higher experimental affinity, e.g., the lower mobility and flexibility at the CD58 surface, and the larger number and occurrence frequency of ligand-CD58 H bonds. For the two other ligands, the structural modifications lead to changes in the binding pattern with CD58 and its dynamics. In parallel, a large set of molecular docking calculations, carried out with various search spaces and docking algorithms, are compared to provide a consensus view of the preferred ligand binding modes. The analysis of the ligand side chain locations yields results that are consistent with the CD2-CD58 crystal structure and suggests various binding modes of the experimentally identified hot spot of the ligands, i.e., Tyr86. P6 is shown to form a number of contacts that are also present in the experimental CD2-CD58 structure.

Suppression of costimulation by human cytomegalovirus promotes evasion of cellular immune defenses

CD58 is an adhesion molecule that is known to play a critical role in costimulation of effector cells and is intrinsic to immune synapse structure. Herein, we describe a virally encoded gene that inhibits CD58 surface expression. Human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) UL148 was necessary and sufficient to promote intracellular retention of CD58 during HCMV infection. Blocking studies with antagonistic anti-CD58 mAb and an HCMV UL148 deletion mutant (HCMV∆UL148) with restored CD58 expression demonstrated that the CD2/CD58 axis was essential for the recognition of HCMV-infected targets by CD8⁺ HCMV-specific cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTLs). Further, challenge of peripheral blood mononuclear cells ex vivo with HCMV∆UL148 increased both CTL and natural killer (NK) cell degranulation against HCMV-infected cells, including NK-driven antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity, showing that UL148 is a modulator of the function of multiple effector cell subsets. Our data stress the effect of HCMV immune evasion functions on shaping the immune response, highlighting the capacity for their potential use in modulating immunity during the development of anti-HCMV vaccines and HCMV-based vaccine vectors.

Natural Killer Cells Regulate Th17 Cells After Autologous Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation for Relapsing Remitting Multiple Sclerosis

In autoimmunity, the balance of different helper T (Th) cell subsets can influence the tissue damage caused by autoreactive T cells. Pro-inflammatory Th1 and Th17 T cells are implicated as mediators of several human autoimmune conditions such as multiple sclerosis (MS). Autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (aHSCT) has been tested in phase 2 clinical trials for MS patients with aggressive disease. Abrogation of new clinical relapses and brain lesions can be seen after ablative aHSCT, accompanied by significant reductions in Th17, but not Th1, cell populations and activity. The cause of this selective decrease in Th17 cell responses following ablative aHSCT is not completely understood. We identified an increase in the kinetics of natural killer (NK) cell reconstitution, relative to CD4⁺ T cells, in MS patients post-aHSCT, resulting in an increased NK cell:CD4⁺ T cell ratio that correlated with the degree of decrease in Th17 responses. Ex vivo removal of NK cells from post-aHSCT peripheral blood mononuclear cells resulted in higher Th17 cell responses, indicating that NK cells can regulate Th17 activity. NK cells were also found to be cytotoxic to memory Th17 cells, and this toxicity is mediated through NKG2D-dependent necrosis. Surprisingly, NK cells induced memory T cells to secrete more IL-17A. This was preceded by an early rise in T cell expression of RORC and IL17A mRNA, and could be blocked with neutralizing antibodies against CD58, a costimulatory receptor expressed on NK cells. Thus, NK cells provide initial co-stimulation that supports the induction of a Th17 response, followed by NKG2D-dependent cytotoxicity that limits these cells. Together these data suggest that rapid reconstitution of NK cells following aHSCT contribute to the suppression of the re-emergence of Th17 cells. This highlights the importance of NK cells in shaping the reconstituting immune system following aHSCT in MS patients.

CD58; leucocyte function adhesion-3 (LFA-3) could be used as a differentiating marker between immune and non-immune thyroid disorders

The link between Graves’ disease (GD) and Hashimoto^’s thyroiditis (HT) has been debated for decades due to the shared pathological and immunological components. Immune intolerance and inappropriate immune reaction against self-thyroid cells are distinctive features of both diseases, but definitive data for the clinical presentation of autoimmune thyroid disease remains unclear. To analyse the expression of T-regulatory cells, CD58, the CD4/CD8 ratio and the neutrophil/lymphocyte ratio and to determine if these parameters could be used as differentiating markers between auto- and non-immune thyroid diseases, 75 patients were enrolled in this study—40 with autoimmune thyroid disease (HT and GD ), 15 with non-immune thyroid disease, and 20 healthy controls. Multicolour flow cytometry was used to analyse CD58, T-regulatory cells (Treg) expressing CD4, CD25, HLA-DR and CD8 using different stained fluorescent labelled monoclonal antibodies. The neutrophils and lymphocyte ratio was also measured. Lower expression of Treg with higher expression of CD58 (LFA-3) was found in the autoimmune diseases when compared with the non-immune and control groups. ROC analysis showed that CD58 with sensitivity 88% and specificity 100% with cut-off value more than or equal to 29.9 indicates Hashimoto’s disease, while lower value indicates colloid goitre, and higher or equal to 29.84 indicates Graves’ disease and lower indicates colloid goitre with 100% sensitivity and specificity. CD58 could be used as differentiating marker between immune and non-immune thyroid disorders.

Mechanisms of Immune Evasion and Immune Modulation by Lymphoma Cells

Purpose

Targeting cancer cells by modulating the immune system has become an important new therapeutic option in many different malignancies. Inhibition of CTLA4/B7 and PD1/PDL1 signaling is now also being investigated and already successfully applied to various hematologic malignancies.

Methods

A literature review of PubMed and results of our own studies were compiled in order to give a comprehensive overview on this topic.

Results

We elucidate the pathophysiological role of immunosuppressive networks in lymphomas, ranging from changes in the cellular microenvironment composition to distinct signaling pathways such as PD1/PDL1 or CTLA4/B7/CD28. The prototypical example of a lymphoma manipulating and thereby silencing the immune system is Hodgkin lymphoma. Also other lymphomas, e.g., primary mediastinal B-cell lymphoma and some Epstein–Barr virus (EBV)-driven malignancies, use analogous survival strategies, while diffuse large B-cell lymphoma of the activated B-cell type, follicular lymphoma and angioimmunoblastic T-cell lymphoma to name a few, exert further immune escape strategies each. These insights have already led to new treatment opportunities and results of the most important clinical trials based on this concept are briefly summarized. Immune checkpoint inhibition might also have severe side effects; the mechanisms of the rather un(der)recognized hematological side effects of this treatment approach are discussed.

Conclusion

Silencing the host’s immune system is an important feature of various lymphomas. Achieving a better understanding of distinct pathways of interactions between lymphomas and different immunological microenvironment compounds yields substantial potential for new treatment concepts.

Mutations or copy number losses of CD58 and TP53 genes in diffuse large B cell lymphoma are independent unfavorable prognostic factors

The advent of next generation sequencing (NGS) technologies has expedited the discovery of novel genetic lesions in DLBCL. The prognostic significance of these identified gene mutations is largely unknown. In this study, we performed NGS for the 27 genes most frequently implicated in 196 patients. Interestingly, TP53 mutations were found to be significantly more common in DLBCL with MYC translocations (r = 0.446, P = 0.034). While no gene mutation was found to be more prevalent in patients with DLBCL with bone marrow involvement, MYD88 mutations were more common in primary DLBCL of the CNS or testis. To evaluate the prognostic significance of the abnormalities of these 27 genes, a total of 165 patients with newly diagnosed DLBCL, NOS were included in a multivariate survival analysis. Surprisingly, in addition to the TP53 mutation, CD58 mutation was found to predict poor clinical outcome. Furthermore, copy number loss of CD58 or TP53 was also identified to be an independent negative prognostic factor. Our results have uncovered the previously unknown critical impact of gene mutations on the prognosis of DLBCL and are fundamentally important for the future design of tailored therapy for improved clinical outcomes.

CD2-CD58 interactions are pivotal for the activation and function of adaptive natural killer cells in human cytomegalovirus infection

The existence and expansion of adaptive NK-cell subsets have been linked to HCMV infection. Phenotypically, a majority of adaptive NK cells expresses the activating receptor NKG2C and CD57. Some of the molecular factors driving the expansion of NKG2C⁺ CD57⁺ NK cells in HCMV infection have been identified. The direct interaction of adaptive NK cells with HCMV-infected cells, preceding the expansion, however, remains less studied. Recently, adaptive NK cells were reported to express higher levels of the co-activating receptor CD2. We explored whether CD2 was directly involved in the response of adaptive NK cells to HCMV. In a co-culture system of human PBMCs and productively infected fibroblasts, we observed an upregulation of CD69, CD25, and HLA-DR on all NK cells. However, only in adaptive NK cells was this increase largely blocked by antibodies against CD2 and CD58. Functionally, this blockade also resulted in diminished production of IFN-γ and TNF-α by adaptive human NK cells in response to HCMV-infected cells. Our results demonstrate that binding of CD2 to upregulated CD58 on infected cells is a critical event for antibody-mediated activation and subsequent effector functions of adaptive NKG2C⁺ CD57⁺ NK cells during the antiviral response.

CD38+ CD58- is an independent adverse prognostic factor in paediatric Philadelphia chromosome negative B cell acute lymphoblastic leukaemia patients

To explore new risk predictors for a high risk of relapse in Philadelphia chromosome negative (Ph-) B cell acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (B-ALL) patients, 196 paediatric Ph- B-ALL patients (≤ 18 years) were retrospectively analysed. We mainly focus on investigating the prognostic value of CD38 and CD58 expression in leukemic blasts in these patients by four colour flow cytometry. The CD38+ CD58- group (n=16) had a higher relapse rate, a shorter 3-year event-free survival (EFS) and overall survival (OS) than the CD38+ CD58+ group (n=157; 31.3% vs 10.2%, P=0.04; 52.4% vs 92.3%, P<0.01; 32.5% vs 91.0%, P=0.01); CD38+ CD58- was an independent adverse prognostic predictor for relapse (hazard ratio [HR], 0.203; 95%CI, 0.063-0.656; P=0.01), 3-year EFS (HR, 0.091; 95%CI, 0.023-0.355; P<0.01) and OS (HR, 0.102; 95%CI, 0.026-0.3971; P<0.01) in this cohort, as determined by Cox multivariate analysis. We identified, for the first time, a higher risk population of paediatric Ph- B-ALL patients with CD38+ CD58- who had a higher relapse risk and a shorter survival. Our results may allow better risk stratification and individualized treatment.

Association of CD58 Polymorphism with Multiple Sclerosis and Response to Interferon ß Therapy in A Subset of Iranian Population

Objective

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is one of the leading neurodegenerative causes of physical disability world-wide. Genetic aberrations of autoimmunity pathway components have been demonstrated to significantly influence MS development. Cluster of Differentiation 58 (CD58) is pertained to a group of genes which had been assayed in several recent association studies. Given the significance of CD58 in modulation of T regulatory cells that control autoimmune responses, the present study was conducted to investigate the frequency of rs12044852 polymorphism and its effect on the outcome of interferon beta (IFN-β) therapy in a subset of Iranian MS patients.

Materials and Methods

Two hundred MS patients and equal number of healthy controls were recruited to be genotyped in an experimental case-control based study through polymerase chain reaction using specific sequence primers (PCR-SSP). Relapsing remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS) patients administered IFN-β therapy were followed up with clinical visits every three months up to two years. The mean of multiple sclerosis severity score (MSSS) and expanded disability status scale (EDSS) were measured to monitor the change in severity of MS in response to IFN-β therapy. Pearson’s Chi-square and analysis of variance (ANOVA) tests were the main statistical methods used in this study.

Results

Strong association was found between the CC genotype and onset of MS (p=0.001, OR=2.22). However, there was no association between rs12044852 and various classifications and severity of MS. Pharmacogenetics-based analysis indicated that carriers of CC genotype had the highest MSSS score compared to others, implying a negative impact of rs12044852 on response to IFN-β therapy.

Conclusion

Taken together, our findings revealed the critical effect of rs12044852 polymorphism of CD58 on the progression of MS disease. This indicates that genotyping of MS patients may expedite achieving personalized medical management of MS patients.

Investigation on correlation between expression of CD58 molecule and severity of hepatitis B

AIM: To investigate the correlation between expression of CD58 and severity of hepatitis B.

METHODS: The level of soluble CD58 (sCD58) in serum of patients with hepatitis B was detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. The level of expression of membrane CD58 molecule in PBMC was detected by direct immunofluorescence. The levels of serumal TBIL, DBIL, IBIL, ALT and AST were detected by the automated biochemistry analyzer as well.

RESULTS: The levels of sCD58 in serum and membrane CD58 molecule in PBMC of patients with hepatitis B were significantly higher than that in normal controls (P < 0.05). Level of CD58 was related to the levels of serumal TBIL, DBIL, IBIL, ALT and AST.

CONCLUSION: The level of CD58 molecule (in both serum and PBMC form) of patients with hepatitis B is related to the degree of liver damage.