Expansion of circulating peripheral TIGIT+CD226+ CD4 T cells with enhanced effector functions in dermatomyositis

BACKGROUND

T cell Ig and ITIM domain (TIGIT)/CD226 pathway has a critical role in regulating T cell responses and has come to the forefront in cancer as a promising immunotherapeutic target. However, its role in autoimmune diseases is just beginning to be elucidated. Dermatomyositis (DM) is an autoimmune disease, in which T cell dysregulation plays a pivotal role, and importantly, it is a common immune-related adverse event in response to treatment of cancers with immune checkpoint inhibitors, but no studies have implicated the TIGIT/CD226 axis in DM.

METHODS

We recruited 30 treatment-naïve DM patients and 26 healthy controls. Flow cytometry analysis was used to investigate the co-expression of TIGIT and CD226 on T cells in blood samples. Magnetic bead or FACS-based cell isolation, T cell proliferation assay, and intracellular cytokine staining were performed to analyze the functions of different TIGIT/CD226 phenotypes. Recombinant proteins CD155, CD112, and anti-CD226 antibodies were used to suppress the function of TIGIT/CD226-expressing CD4 T cells.

RESULTS

Four distinct subsets of T cells based on TIGIT/CD226 co-expression, TIGIT+CD226-, TIGIT+CD226+, TIGIT-CD226+, and TIGIT-CD226-, were identified and characterized in DM patients. Our data showed that the function of CD4 T cell subset varied by the TIGIT/CD226 phenotype. An elevated TIGIT+CD226+ CD4 subset with enhanced effector function was observed in patients with DM, especially the patients complicated with interstitial lung disease. This subpopulation was closely related to DM activity and decreased significantly in DM remission after treatment. Furthermore, the effector function of TIGIT+CD226+ CD4 subset could be suppressed by blocking CD226.

CONCLUSION

Our data revealed that the TIGIT and CD226 expression profiles could be used to identify functionally distinct subsets of CD4 T cells and TIGIT+CD226+ CD4 T cells is a significant subset in DM with enhanced frequency and effector function. This abnormal subset could be suppressed by blocking CD226, providing insight into the therapeutic target of the TIGIT/CD226 axis.

Predictive Value of GAD Antibody for Diabetes in Normal Chinese Adults: A Retrospective Cohort Study in China

PURPOSE

To investigate the prevalence of GAD antibody (GADA) in the general adult population and to evaluate its predictive value for diabetes in China.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

We searched the PUMCH-HM database and identified 36,731 adult subjects with GADA test results from 2012 to 2015. We then established a retrospective cohort of 4835 nondiabetic subjects at baseline with complete annual health evaluation records through 2019. The median follow-up time was 4.8 (3.0-7.3) years.

RESULTS

The overall prevalence of GADA was 0.53% and was higher in diabetic subjects (1.25%) than in nondiabetic subjects (0.47%). We found a decrease in baseline body mass index (BMI) from the GADA- to GADA_high subgroups among baseline diabetic and prediabetic patients and also those who developed diabetes later in the cohort study. A total of 136 subjects (2.8%) developed diabetes after a median follow-up of 3.5 years. For GADA⁺ participants, BMI was not associated with the risk for diabetes. In the Cox regression model, the GADA_low and GADA_high exhibited 2.63-fold and 4.16-fold increased risk for diabetes, respectively. This increased risk for diabetes by GADA-positivity is only found in male adults (HR 4.55, 95% CI 2.25-9.23).

CONCLUSION

GADA has a low prevalence in China but is associated with a 2.63-4.16-fold increased risk for diabetes.

LncRNA and mRNA expression profile of peripheral blood mononuclear cells in primary Sjögren's syndrome patients

The aim of this study was to elucidate the expression profile and the potential role of long non-coding RNA (LncRNA) in the peripheral blood mononuclear cells of primary Sjögren’s syndrome (pSS) patients. RNA-seq technology was used to detect the differentially expressed LncRNAs and mRNAs between five age-and sex-matched paired pSS patients and healthy control PBMCs. The selected LncRNAs were detected in the validation study by RT-qPCR in 16 paired pSS patients and healthy controls. The GO, KEGG, co-localization, and co-expression analysis were performed to enrich the potential gene functions and pathways. In this study, 44 out of 1772 LncRNAs and 1034 out of 15,424 mRNAs were expressed differentially in the PBMCs of pSS patients. LINC00426, TPTEP1-202, CYTOR, NRIR, and BISPR were validated as aberrantly expressed, and these LncRNAs strongly correlated with disease activity of pSS. GO and KEGG pathway analysis revealed the significant enrichment of biological processes, cellular components, and molecular function of the up and down-regulated mRNAs, which were mainly concentrated in the immune response and immune system processes. Co-localization and co-expression analysis also revealed that differentially expressed LncRNAs in the PBMCs of pSS were strongly correlated to the mRNA functioning associated with immune response and cell metastasis. Numerous LncRNAs and mRNAs were found differentially expressed in the PBMCs of pSS patients, especially NRIR and BISPR; they interacted with the co-localized and co-expressed mRNAs, which might participate in the pathogenesis of pSS through the NF-κB, JAK-STAT, and other signaling pathways that regulate cell metastasis.

Comparison of contrast-enhanced ultrasound and contrast-enhanced computed tomography for the diagnosis of cervical lymph node metastasis in squamous cell carcinoma of the oral cavity

Early detection of cervical lymph node metastasis (CLNM) from squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) of the oral cavity remains challenging. This prospective study was performed to evaluate the ability of contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) to detect CLNM from oral cavity SCC. Additionally, its diagnostic value was compared with that of contrast-enhanced computed tomography (CECT). Forty-eight consecutive patients with SCC of the oral cavity were enrolled. All subjects were examined preoperatively with both CEUS and CECT. Subsequently, neck dissections were performed for these patients, and cervical lymph nodes separated from the surgical specimens were assessed histologically. The diagnostic performance of these two examinations was compared based on the results of histopathology. The sensitivity, specificity, accuracy, positive predictive value, negative predictive value, and Youden index for CEUS and CECT were 69.39% vs. 44.90%, 94.71% vs. 97.12%, 89.88%% vs. 87.16%, 75.56% vs. 78.57%, 92.92% vs. 88.21%, and 64.10% vs. 42.02%, respectively. A significant difference was observed in terms of sensitivity (P=0.024) and Youden index (rate difference 22.08%, 95% confidence interval 2.72-41.44%). Therefore, CEUS appears to be a promising diagnostic tool that is superior to CECT for detecting CLNM from SCC of the oral cavity, with a higher sensitivity.

Imbalance of the CD226/TIGIT Immune Checkpoint Is Involved in the Pathogenesis of Primary Biliary Cholangitis

The relationship between the cluster of differentiation 226 (CD226)/T cell Ig and ITIM domain (TIGIT) immune checkpoint and primary biliary cholangitis (PBC) pathogenesis is unknown. Herein, PBC patients (n = 42) showed significantly higher proportions of peripheral CD8⁺ T and CD4⁺ T cells expressing either CD226 or TIGIT than disease (n = 25) and healthy (n = 30) controls. The percentage of CD8⁺TIGIT⁺ T cell was negatively associated with total bilirubin, direct bilirubin, total bile acid, γ-glutamyl transpeptidase, and alkaline phosphatase, but positively correlated with platelet count; alkaline phosphatase was positively associated with the frequency of CD8⁺CD226⁺ T cell; and the CD226/TIGIT ratio of CD8⁺ T cell was positively associated with total bilirubin, direct bilirubin, total bile acid, γ-glutamyl transpeptidase, alkaline phosphatase, and aspartate aminotransferase to platelet ratio, but negatively correlated with albumin and platelet count. The effector function of CD8⁺CD226⁺ T cells was more robust than the CD8⁺CD226^- counterparts. CD226 blockade reduced CD107a⁺, IFN-γ⁺, and TNF-α⁺ proportions among CD8⁺CD226⁺ T cells, inhibiting CD8⁺ T cell proliferation. In conclusion, CD226/TIGIT immune checkpoint imbalance is involved in the pathogenesis of PBC. The CD226/TIGIT ratio of CD8⁺ T cell is a potential biomarker for evaluating the disease status and the prognosis of PBC patients. Moreover, CD8⁺CD226⁺ T cells represent a possible therapeutic target for PBC, and blocking CD226 could inhibit the activity of this cell subset in vitro.

CRISPR-dCas9-mediated knockdown of prtR, an essential gene in Pseudomonas aeruginosa

Pseudomonas aeruginosa is a widely distributed non-fermentative Gram-negative opportunistic pathogen that is often responsible for nosocomial infections. Gene interference is a potentially valuable tool for investigating essential genes in P. aeruginosa. To establish a gene interference platform in P. aeruginosa, CRISPR system was used with an inactive Cas9 protein. The CRISPR-dCas9 system was cloned into pHERD20T, a shuttle vector with arabinose inducible promoter, and was further modified to target a regulatory gene prtR that is essential for the viability of P. aeruginosa. Cells expressing the prtR-targeting CRISPR interference (CRISPRi) showed growth defect in an arabinose dose-dependent manner. A high-throughput RNA sequencing analysis of bacterial cells with or without the CRISPRi-mediated prtR inhibition indicated that prtRis a global regulator affecting multiple biological processes. In conclusion, the CRISPR-dCas9-based gene knockdown system has been successfully implemented in P. aeruginosa and demonstrated to be an effective tool in the investigation of essential or difficult-to-inactivate genes in this species.

Serum Clusterin and Complement Factor H May Be Biomarkers Differentiate Primary Sjögren's Syndrome With and Without Neuromyelitis Optica Spectrum Disorder

Background: Neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (NMOSD) is a neurological complication of primary Sjögren's syndrome (pSS).

Objective: We aimed to explore potential serological differences between pSS patients with and without NMOSD.

Methods: There were 4 pSS patients with NMOSD and 8 pSS patients without NMOSD enrolled as the screening group for two-dimensional difference gel electrophoresis (DIGE) analysis. Then differential expressed protein spots between groups were identified by MALDI-TOF/TOF MS. The levels of the identified potential biomarkers were verified by ELISA in a second independent cohort including 22 pSS patients with NMOSD, 26 pSS without NMOSD and 30 NMOSD patients.

Results: Nine proteins were identified significantly differently expressed (more than 1.5-fold, p < 0.05) between these two groups. Serum levels of clusterin and complement factor H (CFH) were further verified by ELISA. Results showed that the serum clusterin was significantly higher in NMOSD with pSS than without (298.33 ± 184.52 vs. 173.49 ± 63.03 ng/ml, p < 0.01), while the levels of CFH were lower in pSS patients with NMOSD than without (24.19 ± 1.79 vs. 25.87 ± 3.98 ng/ml, p < 0.01).

Conclusion: This is the first study of serological comparative proteomics between pSS patients with and without NMOSD. Serum clusterin and CFH might be potential biomarkers for pSS patients with NMOSD and play important role in the pathogenesis of the disease but needs further verification.

[Characteristics and clinical significance of body composition in gout patients]

Objective: To investigate the characteristics of body composition (BC) in gout patients and its clinical significance. Methods: Consecutive gout patients were recruited between August 2017 and December 2018. Demographic information, clinical characteristics and comorbidities were collected. BC was assessed by bioelectric impedance analysis including body fat percentage (BF%), trunk and limb BF%, appendicular skeletal muscle index. Overfat was defined by BF% ≥25% for male and ≥35% for female. The association between BC and serum uric acid (sUA) was evaluated by multiple linear regression. Results: A total of 362 gout patients were recruited with median age 38 (30, 52) years, 96.1% (348/362) were male. Mean sUA was (551±133) μmol/L. The mean BF% was (25.8±6.4)% with 53.6%(194/362) patients overfat. Male gout patients with overfat showed more affected joints [4(2, 6) vs. 2(2, 5)], higher sUA [(576±126)μmol/L vs. (523±134) μmol/L], higher prevalence of dyslipidemia [70.1%(131/187) vs. 54.0%(87/161)], metabolic syndrome [60.8%(118/187) vs. 28.0%(47/161)], fatty liver [58.2%(113/187) vs. 35.1%(59/161)] and hypertension [44.4%(83/187) vs. 25.5%(41/161)] than male patients with normal fat (all P<0.05). Their BF%, trunk BF% and limb BF% were positively correlated with the numbers of affected joints, sUA, metabolic syndrome, fatty liver, and hypertension, respectively (r=0.154-0.435, all P<0.05). Multivariable linear regression suggested that BF% (β=4.29, P=0.020) and trunk BF% (β=9.11, P=0.007), but not limb BF%, were positively correlated with sUA. Conclusion: Overfat is very common in gout patients. The proportion of trunk fat in male patients is positively correlated with sUA. When assessing obesity in gout patients clinically, body composition analysis should be performed simultaneously.

Probiotics maintain intestinal secretory immunoglobulin A levels in healthy formula-fed infants: a randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled study

Formula-fed infants are more susceptible to infectious diseases because they lack the maternal immune factors transferred from breast milk, while their own immune system is still immature. As timely probiotic administration was suggested to promote immune system development in formula-fed infants, this study aimed at assessing the safety and the effects of a probiotic supplement (Bifidobacterium infantis R0033, Bifidobacterium bifidum R0071, and Lactobacillus helveticus R0052) on mucosal immune competence and digestive function in formula-fed infants. Healthy infants (3.5-6 months old) were randomised to receive either probiotic- (n=66) or placebo-supplemented (n=66) formula once a day for four weeks. In the probiotics group, faecal secretory immunoglobulin A (SIgA) levels remained similar between visit 2 (baseline; V2) and visit 3 (end-of-treatment; V3), but decreased in the placebo group. Changes in SIgA levels following treatment (log₁₀ΔV3-V2 [95%CI]) between the probiotic and placebo groups were statistically significant (23 ng/dl [-57;102] and -137 ng/dl [-212;-62], respectively (P=0.0044; ANCOVA)). While log₁₀ΔV3-V2 [95%CI] for salivary SIgA levels increased in both groups, this trend was more pronounced in the probiotics than in the placebo group with an increase of 123 ng/dl [9;236] and 37 ng/dL [-72;147], respectively (P=0.2829; ANCOVA). The weekly average number of stools/day was significantly higher in the probiotics group compared to placebo during the last week of treatment for the per protocol population. There was no difference in microbiota composition or anthropometric parameters between groups. No serious adverse event was reported, and all adverse events were mild and unrelated to the product or study. Our results show that formula-fed infants receiving probiotics maintained higher faecal SIgA levels at the end of the four-week treatment period, suggesting a positive effect of probiotics on SIgA production. This study demonstrates the safety of this probiotic formulation in infants. Formula-fed infants may benefit from probiotics supplementation to sustain the development of mucosal immunity.

Genetic and cytological analyses reveal the recombination landscape of a partially differentiated plant sex chromosome in kiwifruit

BACKGROUND

Angiosperm sex chromosomes, where present, are generally recently evolved. The key step in initiating the development of sex chromosomes from autosomes is the establishment of a sex-determining locus within a region of non-recombination. To better understand early sex chromosome evolution, it is important to determine the process by which recombination is suppressed around the sex determining genes. We have used the dioecious angiosperm kiwifruit Actinidia chinensis var. chinensis, which has an active-Y sex chromosome system, to study recombination rates around the sex locus, to better understand key events in the development of sex chromosomes.

RESULTS

We have confirmed the sex-determining region (SDR) in A. chinensis var. chinensis, using a combination of high density genetic mapping and fluorescent in situ hybridisation (FISH) of Bacterial Artificial Chromosomes (BACs) linked to the sex markers onto pachytene chromosomes. The SDR is a subtelomeric non-recombining region adjacent to the nucleolar organiser region (NOR). A region of restricted recombination of around 6 Mbp in size in both male and female maps spans the SDR and covers around a third of chromosome 25.

CONCLUSIONS

As recombination is suppressed over a similar region between X chromosomes and between and X and Y chromosomes, we propose that recombination is suppressed in this region because of the proximity of the NOR and the centromere, with both the NOR and centromere suppressing recombination, and this predates suppressed recombination due to differences between X and Y chromosomes. Such regions of suppressed recombination in the genome provide an opportunity for the evolution of sex chromosomes, if a sex-determining locus develops there or translocates into this region.

The Regulatory T Cell in Active Systemic Lupus Erythematosus Patients: A Systemic Review and Meta-Analysis

Background: Regulatory T cells (Tregs) researches in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) have floundered over the years, reports on the numbers and function of Tregs in SLE present quite contradictory results. We therefore conducted a meta-analysis to verify the changes of Tregs in active SLE.

Methods: We systematically searched PubMed, Embase, and ISI web of knowledge databases for eligible articles. In total, 628 active SLE patients and 601 controls from 18 studies were included. Due to a high degree of heterogeneity, a random effects model was used to assess the mean differences in Treg percentages, absolute numbers, and suppression capacities of Tregs between active SLE and controls. Further, subgroup analysis was performed to identify potential sources of heterogeneity.

Results: The pooled percentages of Tregs in active SLE patients were found to be lower than those in controls (−0.864 ± 0.308, p = 0.005), with great heterogeneity (I² = 95.01). The discrepancy of published results might result from the following differences among studies: gating strategies for Tregs, diagnostic criteria for SLE, and thresholds of SLEDAI chosen to differentiate between active and inactive SLE. In active SLE, Tregs gated based on CD25 alone showed lower pooled frequency than those gated by Foxp3⁺ or CD127^low/∅. The percentages of Tregs in active SLE was significantly lower than that in controls when the enrolled SLE patients were diagnosed according to the 1997 modified criteria, whereas they were comparable to controls when diagnosed by the 1982 criteria; the higher threshold of SLEDAI score used to define active SLE tended to achieve a lower percentage of Tregs. The pooled absolute numbers of Tregs in active SLE were significantly decreased compared to those in controls (−1.328 ± 0.374, p < 0.001), but seemed to be unaffected by gating strategies. Suppression capacities of Tregs from active SLE patients showed no abnormalities based on the limited pooled data. Longitudinal monitoring of active SLE showed a significant decrease in Treg percentage at remission.

Conclusions: This study implies that loss of Tregs may play a role in the pathogenesis of active SLE and help clarify contradictory Treg results in SLE.

A novel FGFR1-binding peptide attenuates the degeneration of articular cartilage in adult mice

OBJECTIVE

We previously reported that genetic ablation of (Fibroblast Growth Factors Receptors) FGFR1 in knee cartilage attenuates the degeneration of articular cartilage in adult mice, which suggests that FGFR1 is a potential targeting molecule for osteoarthritis (OA). Here, we identified R1-P1, an inhibitory peptide for FGFR1 and investigated its effect on the pathogenesis of OA in mice induced by destabilization of medial meniscus (DMM).

DESIGN

Binding ability between R1-P1 and FGFR1 protein was evaluated by enzyme-linked immuno sorbent assay (ELISA) and molecular docking. Alterations in cartilage were evaluated histologically. The expression levels of molecules associated with articular cartilage homeostasis and FGFR1 signaling were analyzed by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR), Western blotting and immunohistochemistry (IHC). The chondrocyte apoptosis was detected by terminal-deoxynucleoitidyl transferase mediated nick end labeling (TUNEL) assay.

RESULTS

R1-P1 had highly binding affinities to human FGFR1 protein, and efficiently inhibited extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK)1/2 pathway in mouse primary chondrocytes. In addition, R1-P1 attenuated the IL-1β induced significant loss of proteoglycan in full-thickness cartilage tissue from human femur head. Moreover, this peptide can significantly restore the IL-1β mediated loss of proteoglycan and type II collagen (Col II) and attenuate the expression of matrix metalloproteinase-13 (MMP13) in mouse primary chondrocytes. Finally, intra-articular injection of R1-P1 remarkably attenuated the loss of proteoglycan and the destruction of articular cartilage and decreased the expressions of extracellular matrix (ECM) degrading enzymes and apoptosis in articular chondrocytes of mice underwent DMM surgery.

CONCLUSIONS

R1-P1, a novel inhibitory peptide for FGFR1, attenuates the degeneration of articular cartilage in adult mice, which is a potential leading molecule for the treatment of OA.

Phase transitions in a programmable quantum spin glass simulator

Understanding magnetic phases in quantum mechanical systems is one of the essential goals in condensed matter physics, and the advent of prototype quantum simulation hardware has provided new tools for experimentally probing such systems. We report on the experimental realization of a quantum simulation of interacting Ising spins on three-dimensional cubic lattices up to dimensions 8 × 8 × 8 on a D-Wave processor (D-Wave Systems, Burnaby, Canada). The ability to control and read out the state of individual spins provides direct access to several order parameters, which we used to determine the lattice's magnetic phases as well as critical disorder and one of its universal exponents. By tuning the degree of disorder and effective transverse magnetic field, we observed phase transitions between a paramagnetic, an antiferromagnetic, and a spin-glass phase.