Whole-blood transcriptional profiling of interferon-inducible genes identifies highly upregulated IFI27 in primary myelofibrosis

Perspectives on chronic inflammation in essential thrombocythemia, polycythemia vera, and myelofibrosis: is chronic inflammation a trigger and driver of clonal evolution and development of accelerated atherosclerosis and second cancer?

The morbidity and mortality of patients with the chronic Philadelphia-negative myeloproliferative neoplasms (MPNs), essential thrombocythemia, polycythemia vera, and primary myelofibrosis are mainly caused by cardiovascular diseases, thrombohemorrhagic complications, and bone marrow failure because of myelofibrosis and leukemic transformation. In the general population, chronic inflammation is considered of major importance for the development of atherosclerosis and cancer. MPNs are characterized by a state of chronic inflammation, which is proposed to be the common denominator for the development of “premature atherosclerosis,” clonal evolution, and second cancer in patients with MPNs. Chronic inflammation may both initiate clonal evolution and catalyze its expansion from early disease stage to the myelofibrotic burnt-out phase. Furthermore, chronic inflammation may also add to the severity of cardiovascular disease burden by accelerating the development of atherosclerosis, which is well described and recognized in other chronic inflammatory diseases. A link between chronic inflammation, atherosclerosis, and second cancer in MPNs favors early intervention at the time of diagnosis (statins and interferon-α2), the aims being to dampen chronic inflammation and clonal evolution and thereby also diminish concurrent disease-mediated chronic inflammation and its consequences (accelerated atherosclerosis and second cancer).

Chitinase expression in parotid glands of non-obese diabetic mice

OBJECTIVE

This investigation was a basal study that used a mouse model of xerostomia to identify protein biomarkers of xerostomia in saliva. We identified genes expressed differently in parotid glands from non-obese diabetic mice with diabetes and those from control mice; subsequently, we investigated expression of the proteins encoded by these genes in parotid glands and saliva.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

DNA microarray and real-time PCR analyses were performed to detect differences between NOD/ShiJcl and C57BL/6JJcl (control) female mice in gene expression from parotid glands or parotid acinar cells. Subsequently, protein expression was assessed using immunoblotting and immunohistochemistry. Similarly, enzyme activity in saliva was assessed using zymography.

RESULTS

Based on gene expression analyses, Chia expression was higher in diabetic mice than non-diabetic mice and control mice; similarly, expression of chitinase, the protein encoded by Chia, was higher in diabetic mice. Saliva from NOD/ShiJcl mice had more chitinase than saliva from control mice.

CONCLUSIONS

Chitinase was highly expressed in parotid acinar cells from diabetic mice compared with non-diabetic and control mice. Increased chitinase expression and enzyme activity may characterize the autoimmune diabetes in mice; however, further investigation is required to assess its use as a biomarker of xerostomia in humans.

[Constipation after delivery: double-blind comparative study of 2 laxative preparations]

The inflammation-mediated comorbidities in myelofibrosis (MF) and related neoplasms (MPNs) likely reflect the concurrent immune deregulation and systemic inflammatory nature of the MPNs, emphasizing the link between chronic systemic inflammation, immune deregulation, and the malignant clone. JAK1-2 inhibitors in MF-patients reduce constitutional symptoms and splenomegaly, but also taget autoimmune and inflammation-mediated comorbidities.