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Xiao XY, Chen Q, Shi YZ, Li LW, Hua C, Zheng H. Risk factors of systemic lupus erythematosus: an overview of systematic reviews and Mendelian randomization studies. Adv Rheumatol 2023; 63:42. [PMID: 37596678 DOI: 10.1186/s42358-023-00323-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/02/2023] [Accepted: 08/02/2023] [Indexed: 08/20/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The etiology of systemic lupus erythematosus is complex and incurable. A large number of systematic reviews have studied the risk factors of it. Mendelian randomization is an analytical method that uses genetic data as tool variables to evaluate the causal relationship between exposure and outcome. OBJECTIVE To review the systematic reviews and Mendelian randomization studies that focused on the risk factors of systemic lupus erythematosus and shed light on the development of treatments for its prevention and intervention. METHODS From inception to January 2022, we systematically searched MEDLINE (via PubMed) and Embase for related systematic reviews and Mendelian randomization studies. Extract relevant main data for studies that meet inclusion criteria. The quality of systematic reviews was assessed by using Assessment of Multiple Systematic Reviews 2 (AMSTAR-2). Finally, the risk factors are scored comprehensively according to the results' quantity, quality, and consistency. RESULTS Our study involved 64 systematic reviews and 12 Mendelian randomization studies. The results of systematic reviews showed that diseases (endometriosis, atopic dermatitis, allergic rhinitis), lifestyle (smoking, drinking, vaccination), and gene polymorphism influenced the incidence of systemic lupus erythematosus. The results of Mendelian randomization studies identified the role of disease (periodontitis, celiac disease), trace elements (selenium, iron), cytokines (growth differentiation factor 15), and gut microbiome in the pathogenesis of systemic lupus erythematosus. CONCLUSION We should pay attention to preventing and treating systemic lupus erythematosus in patients with endometriosis, celiac disease, and periodontitis. Take appropriate dietary supplements to increase serum iron and selenium levels to reduce the risk of systemic lupus erythematosus. There should be no excessive intervention in lifestyles such as smoking and drinking.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xin-Yu Xiao
- Acupuncture and Tuina School, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, No.1166 Liutai Avenue, Wenjiang District, Chengdu, 610000, China
| | - Qian Chen
- Acupuncture and Tuina School, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, No.1166 Liutai Avenue, Wenjiang District, Chengdu, 610000, China
| | - Yun-Zhou Shi
- Acupuncture and Tuina School, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, No.1166 Liutai Avenue, Wenjiang District, Chengdu, 610000, China
| | - Li-Wen Li
- Acupuncture and Tuina School, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, No.1166 Liutai Avenue, Wenjiang District, Chengdu, 610000, China
| | - Can Hua
- Acupuncture and Tuina School, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, No.1166 Liutai Avenue, Wenjiang District, Chengdu, 610000, China
| | - Hui Zheng
- Acupuncture and Tuina School, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, No.1166 Liutai Avenue, Wenjiang District, Chengdu, 610000, China.
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Salis Z, Gallego B, Sainsbury A. Researchers in rheumatology should avoid categorization of continuous predictor variables. BMC Med Res Methodol 2023; 23:104. [PMID: 37101144 PMCID: PMC10134601 DOI: 10.1186/s12874-023-01926-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/04/2023] [Accepted: 04/18/2023] [Indexed: 04/28/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Rheumatology researchers often categorize continuous predictor variables. We aimed to show how this practice may alter results from observational studies in rheumatology. METHODS We conducted and compared the results of two analyses of the association between our predictor variable (percentage change in body mass index [BMI] from baseline to four years) and two outcome variable domains of structure and pain in knee and hip osteoarthritis. These two outcome variable domains covered 26 different outcomes for knee and hip combined. In the first analysis (categorical analysis), percentage change in BMI was categorized as ≥ 5% decrease in BMI, < 5% change in BMI, and ≥ 5% increase in BMI, while in the second analysis (continuous analysis), it was left as a continuous variable. In both analyses (categorical and continuous), we used generalized estimating equations with a logistic link function to investigate the association between the percentage change in BMI and the outcomes. RESULTS For eight of the 26 investigated outcomes (31%), the results from the categorical analyses were different from the results from the continuous analyses. These differences were of three types: 1) for six of these eight outcomes, while the continuous analyses revealed associations in both directions (i.e., a decrease in BMI had one effect, while an increase in BMI had the opposite effect), the categorical analyses showed associations only in one direction of BMI change, not both; 2) for another one of these eight outcomes, the categorical analyses suggested an association with change in BMI, while this association was not shown in the continuous analyses (this is potentially a false positive association); 3) for the last of the eight outcomes, the continuous analyses suggested an association of change in BMI, while this association was not shown in the categorical analyses (this is potentially a false negative association). CONCLUSIONS Categorization of continuous predictor variables alters the results of analyses and could lead to different conclusions; therefore, researchers in rheumatology should avoid it.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zubeyir Salis
- The University of New South Wales, Centre for Big Data Research in Health, Kensington, NSW, Australia
| | - Blanca Gallego
- The University of New South Wales, Centre for Big Data Research in Health, Kensington, NSW, Australia
| | - Amanda Sainsbury
- School of Human Sciences, The University of Western Australia, Crawley, Perth, WA, 6009, Australia.
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Choi MY, Costenbader KH. Understanding the Concept of Pre-Clinical Autoimmunity: Prediction and Prevention of Systemic Lupus Erythematosus: Identifying Risk Factors and Developing Strategies Against Disease Development. Front Immunol 2022; 13:890522. [PMID: 35720390 PMCID: PMC9203849 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.890522] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/06/2022] [Accepted: 05/04/2022] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
There is growing evidence that preceding the diagnosis or classification of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), patients undergo a preclinical phase of disease where markers of inflammation and autoimmunity are already present. Not surprisingly then, even though SLE management has improved over the years, many patients will already have irreversible disease-related organ damage by time they have been diagnosed with SLE. By gaining a greater understanding of the pathogenesis of preclinical SLE, we can potentially identify patients earlier in the disease course who are at-risk of transitioning to full-blown SLE and implement preventative strategies. In this review, we discuss the current state of knowledge of SLE preclinical pathogenesis and propose a screening and preventative strategy that involves the use of promising biomarkers of early disease, modification of lifestyle and environmental risk factors, and initiation of preventative therapies, as examined in other autoimmune diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis and type 1 diabetes.
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Affiliation(s)
- May Y Choi
- Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States.,Department of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada.,Cumming School of Medicine, McCaig Institute for Bone and Joint Health, Calgary, AB, Canada
| | - Karen H Costenbader
- Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
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Choi MY, Hahn J, Malspeis S, Stevens EF, Karlson EW, Sparks JA, Yoshida K, Kubzansky L, Costenbader KH. Association of a Combination of Healthy Lifestyle Behaviors With Reduced Risk of Incident Systemic Lupus Erythematosus. Arthritis Rheumatol 2022; 74:274-283. [PMID: 34313398 PMCID: PMC8792100 DOI: 10.1002/art.41935] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/12/2021] [Revised: 06/10/2021] [Accepted: 07/22/2021] [Indexed: 02/03/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE While previous studies have demonstrated an association between individual factors related to lifestyle and the risk of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), it is unclear how the combination of these factors might affect the risk of incident SLE. This study was undertaken to prospectively evaluate whether a combination of healthy lifestyle factors is associated with a lower risk of incident SLE and its subtypes (anti-double-stranded DNA [anti-dsDNA]-positive and anti-dsDNA-negative SLE). METHODS The study included 185,962 women from the Nurses' Health Study (NHS) and NHSII cohorts, among whom there were 203 incident cases of SLE (96 with anti-dsDNA-positive SLE, 107 with anti-dsDNA-negative SLE) during 4,649,477 person-years of follow-up. The Healthy Lifestyle Index Score (HLIS) was calculated at baseline and approximately every 2 years during follow-up, with scores assigned for 5 healthy lifestyle factors: alcohol consumption, body mass index, smoking, diet, and exercise. A time-varying Cox proportional hazards regression model was used to estimate the adjusted hazard ratios (HRs) with 95% confidence intervals (95% CIs) for the risk of SLE. In addition, the percentage of partial population attributable risk (PAR%) of SLE development was calculated. RESULTS A higher HLIS was associated with a lower risk of SLE overall (HR 0.81 [95% CI 0.71-0.94]) and a lower risk of anti-dsDNA-positive SLE (HR 0.78 [95% CI 0.63-0.95]). Women with ≥4 healthy lifestyle factors had the lowest risk of SLE overall (HR 0.42, 95% CI 0.25-0.70) and lowest risk of anti-dsDNA-positive SLE (HR 0.35, 95% CI 0.17-0.75) as compared to women with only 1 healthy behavior or no healthy behaviors. The PAR% of SLE development was 47.7% (95% CI 23.1-66.6%), assuming that the entire population had adhered to at least 4 healthy lifestyle behaviors. CONCLUSION These results indicate that the risk of developing SLE, a disease in which significant evidence of genetic involvement has been established, might be reduced by nearly 50% with adherence to modifiable healthy lifestyle behaviors.
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Affiliation(s)
- May Y. Choi
- Division of Rheumatology, Inflammation and Immunity, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA,,Division of Rheumatology, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
| | - Jill Hahn
- Division of Rheumatology, Inflammation and Immunity, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Susan Malspeis
- Division of Rheumatology, Inflammation and Immunity, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Emma F. Stevens
- Division of Rheumatology, Inflammation and Immunity, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Elizabeth W. Karlson
- Division of Rheumatology, Inflammation and Immunity, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Jeffrey A. Sparks
- Division of Rheumatology, Inflammation and Immunity, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Kazuki Yoshida
- Division of Rheumatology, Inflammation and Immunity, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Laura Kubzansky
- Harvard University T H Chan School of Public Health, Social and Behavioral Sciences, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Karen H. Costenbader
- Division of Rheumatology, Inflammation and Immunity, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
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Raymond WD, Hamdorf M, Furfaro M, Eilertsen GO, Nossent JC. Smoking associates with increased BAFF and decreased interferon-γ levels in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus. Lupus Sci Med 2021; 8:8/1/e000537. [PMID: 34725185 PMCID: PMC8562512 DOI: 10.1136/lupus-2021-000537] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2021] [Accepted: 10/09/2021] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Objective In SLE, smoking increases the burden of cutaneous disease and organ damage, and leads to premature mortality. However, the effect of smoking on disease manifestations and cytokine levels of patients with SLE is unclear. This study compared characteristics of patients with SLE across smoking status, and determined the association of smoking with serum cytokine levels. Method A cross-sectional study of patients with SLE (n=99) during a research visit in which smoking status was ascertained. Smoking status was compared across classification criteria (American College of Rheumatology Classification Criteria for SLE (ACR97)), disease activity (SLE Disease Activity Index), autoantibody levels, accrued damage (Systemic Lupus International Collaborating Clinics/ACR Damage Index), and circulating concentrations of serum interferon-gamma (IFN-γ), interleukin (IL)-1β, IL-4, IL-6, IL-10, IL-12, IL-17, B cell-activating factor (BAFF), tumour necrosis factor-alpha, transforming growth factor beta 1 (TGF-β1), macrophage inflammatory protein 1 alpha (MIP-1α), MIP-1β and monocyte chemoattractant protein 1. Linear regression models determined the association between smoking and cytokine levels, adjusting for age and sex, clinical characteristics (model 1), and anti-inflammatory (IL-4, IL-10 and TGF- β1) and regulatory (IL-1β) cytokines (model 2). Results Among patients with SLE (97.9% ANA+; mean 48.48 years old; 86.9% female; mean 10 years of disease duration), 35.4% (n=35 of 99) were smoking (an average of 7 cigarettes/day for 24 years). Smokers had increased odds of prevalent ACR97 malar rash (OR 3.40, 95% CI 1.23 to 9.34) and mucosal ulcers (OR 3.31, 95% CI 1.36 to 8.05). Smokers had more arthritis (OR 3.19, 95% CI 1.19 to 8.60), migraine (OR 2.82, 95% CI 1.07 to 7.44), Raynaud’s phenomenon (OR 5.15, 95% CI 1.95 to 13.56) and increased non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug use (OR 6.88, 95% CI 1.99 to 23.72). Smoking associated with 27% increased BAFF levels (95% CI 6% to 48%) and 42% decreased IFN-γ levels (95% CI −79% to −5%) in model 2. Conclusion In patients with SLE, smoking independently associated with increased BAFF and decreased IFN-γ levels, and an increased frequency of arthritis, migraine and Raynaud’s phenomenon. Smoking cessation is advisable to reduce systemic inflammation, reduce disease activity and improve host defence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Warren David Raymond
- Rheumatology Section, Medical School, University of Western Australia Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Health Sciences, Crawley, Western Australia, Australia
| | - Matthew Hamdorf
- Rheumatology Section, Medical School, University of Western Australia Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Health Sciences, Crawley, Western Australia, Australia
| | - Michael Furfaro
- Rheumatology Section, Medical School, University of Western Australia Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Health Sciences, Crawley, Western Australia, Australia
| | | | - Johannes Cornelis Nossent
- Rheumatology Section, Medical School, University of Western Australia Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Health Sciences, Crawley, Western Australia, Australia.,Clinical Medicine, UiT The Arctic University of Norway, Tromso, Norway
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Robinson S, Thomas R. Potential for Antigen-Specific Tolerizing Immunotherapy in Systematic Lupus Erythematosus. Front Immunol 2021; 12:654701. [PMID: 34335564 PMCID: PMC8322693 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2021.654701] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/17/2021] [Accepted: 06/25/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a chronic complex systemic autoimmune disease characterized by multiple autoantibodies and clinical manifestations, with the potential to affect nearly every organ. SLE treatments, including corticosteroids and immunosuppressive drugs, have greatly increased survival rates, but there is no curative therapy and SLE management is limited by drug complications and toxicities. There is an obvious clinical need for safe, effective SLE treatments. A promising treatment avenue is to restore immunological tolerance to reduce inflammatory clinical manifestations of SLE. Indeed, recent clinical trials of low-dose IL-2 supplementation in SLE patients showed that in vivo expansion of regulatory T cells (Treg cells) is associated with dramatic but transient improvement in SLE disease markers and clinical manifestations. However, the Treg cells that expanded were short-lived and unstable. Alternatively, antigen-specific tolerance (ASIT) approaches that establish long-lived immunological tolerance could be deployed in the context of SLE. In this review, we discuss the potential benefits and challenges of nanoparticle ASIT approaches to induce prolonged immunological tolerance in SLE.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sean Robinson
- School of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD, Australia
| | - Ranjeny Thomas
- University of Queensland Diamantina Institute, The University of Queensland, Princess Alexandra Hospital, Woolloongabba, QLD, Australia
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Leffers HCB, Troldborg A, Voss A, Kristensen S, Lindhardsen J, Kumar P, Linauskas A, Juul L, Krogh NS, Deleuran B, Dreyer L, Jacobsen S. Smoking associates with distinct clinical phenotypes in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus: a nationwide Danish cross-sectional study. Lupus Sci Med 2021; 8:8/1/e000474. [PMID: 33811110 PMCID: PMC8023756 DOI: 10.1136/lupus-2021-000474] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/07/2021] [Revised: 02/10/2021] [Accepted: 02/20/2021] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
Objectives SLE displays large clinical heterogeneity that beyond genetic factors may be determined by environmental exposures. In this Danish nationwide study, we aimed to determine if clinical subsets of SLE were associated with smoking history. Methods At each of six participating centres, incident or prevalent inpatients and outpatients with SLE were consecutively included. Manifestations forming the basis of SLE classification were registered in an electronic chart system. Patients also provided questionnaire-based data on environmental exposures, including smoking history. Hierarchical cluster analysis was conducted to determine and characterise subsets of patients with similar traits of disease manifestations. Levels of smoking exposure by pack-years were correlated to the identified SLE subsets, as well as discrete SLE manifestations. Results The cohort consisted of 485 patients (88% women and 92% Caucasian) with SLE of which 51% were ever smokers. Common disease manifestations comprised non-erosive arthritis (81%), malar rash (57%), lymphopenia (55%), photosensitivity (50%) and persistent proteinuria (41%). We identified three distinct phenotypic clusters characterised by their preponderance of (A) neurological, serosal and mucosal involvement; (B) renal, haematological and immunological disorders; and (C) acute and chronic skin manifestations. Cluster B was the youngest and had the lowest level of smoking exposure. Age-adjusted regression analyses showed that compared with never smokers a smoking history of >20 pack-years was associated with neurological disorder (OR=3.16), discoid rash (OR=2.22), photosensitivity (OR=2.19) and inversely with haematological disorder (OR=0.40), renal disorder (OR=0.40) and non-erosive arthritis (OR=0.45), p<0.05 for all. Conclusions Our findings support that SLE presents in varying clinical phenotypes and suggest that they may have differentiated associations with smoking history.
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Affiliation(s)
- Henrik Christian Bidstrup Leffers
- Lupus and Vasculitis Clinic, Copenhagen University Hospital Center for Rheumatology and Spine Diseases, Copenhagen, Hovedstaden, Denmark
| | - Anne Troldborg
- Departments of Biomedicine and Rheumatology, Aarhus University Hospital, Aarhus, Denmark
| | - Anne Voss
- Department of Rheumatology, Odense University Hospital, Odense, Denmark
| | - Salome Kristensen
- Department of Rheumatology, Aalborg University Hospital, Aalborg, North Denmark Region, Denmark
| | - Jesper Lindhardsen
- Lupus and Vasculitis Clinic, Copenhagen University Hospital Center for Rheumatology and Spine Diseases, Copenhagen, Hovedstaden, Denmark
| | - Prabhat Kumar
- Department of Rheumatology, North Denmark Regional Hospital, Hjørring, North Denmark Region, Denmark
| | - Asta Linauskas
- Department of Rheumatology, North Denmark Regional Hospital, Hjørring, North Denmark Region, Denmark
| | - Lars Juul
- Department of Rheumatology, Gentofte University Hospital, Hellerup, Hovedstaden, Denmark
| | | | - Bent Deleuran
- Departments of Biomedicine and Rheumatology, Aarhus University Hospital, Aarhus, Denmark
| | - Lene Dreyer
- Department of Rheumatology, Aalborg University Hospital, Aalborg, North Denmark Region, Denmark
| | - Søren Jacobsen
- Lupus and Vasculitis Clinic, Copenhagen University Hospital Center for Rheumatology and Spine Diseases, Copenhagen, Hovedstaden, Denmark
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Munroe ME, Anderson JR, Gross TF, Stunz LL, Bishop GA, James JA. Epstein-Barr Functional Mimicry: Pathogenicity of Oncogenic Latent Membrane Protein-1 in Systemic Lupus Erythematosus and Autoimmunity. Front Immunol 2021; 11:606936. [PMID: 33613527 PMCID: PMC7886997 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2020.606936] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/16/2020] [Accepted: 12/21/2020] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and other autoimmune diseases are propelled by immune dysregulation and pathogenic, disease-specific autoantibodies. Autoimmunity against the lupus autoantigen Sm is associated with cross-reactivity to Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) nuclear antigen 1 (EBNA-1). Additionally, EBV latent membrane protein-1 (LMP1), initially noted for its oncogenic activity, is an aberrantly active functional mimic of the B cell co-stimulatory molecule CD40. Mice expressing a transgene (Tg) for the mCD40-LMP1 hybrid molecule (containing the cytoplasmic tail of LMP1) have mild autoantibody production and other features of immune dysregulation by 2-3 months of age, but no overt autoimmune disease. This study evaluates whether exposure to the EBV molecular mimic, EBNA-1, stimulates antigen-specific and concurrently-reactive humoral and cellular immunity, as well as lupus-like features. After immunization with EBNA-1, mCD40-LMP1 Tg mice exhibited enhanced, antigen-specific, cellular and humoral responses compared to immunized WT congenic mice. EBNA-1 specific proliferative and inflammatory cytokine responses, including IL-17 and IFN-γ, were significantly increased (p<0.0001) in mCD40-LMP1 Tg mice, as well as antibody responses to amino- and carboxy-domains of EBNA-1. Of particular interest was the ability of mCD40-LMP1 to drive EBNA-1 associated molecular mimicry with the lupus-associated autoantigen, Sm. EBNA-1 immunized mCD40-LMP1 Tg mice exhibited enhanced proliferative and cytokine cellular responses (p<0.0001) to the EBNA-1 homologous epitope PPPGRRP and the Sm B/B' cross-reactive sequence PPPGMRPP. When immunized with the SLE autoantigen Sm, mCD40-LMP1 Tg mice again exhibited enhanced cellular and humoral immune responses to both Sm and EBNA-1. Cellular immune dysregulation with EBNA-1 immunization in mCD40-LMP1 Tg mice was accompanied by enhanced splenomegaly, increased serum blood urea nitrogen (BUN) and creatinine levels, and elevated anti-dsDNA and antinuclear antibody (ANA) levels (p<0.0001 compared to mCD40 WT mice). However, no evidence of immune-complex glomerulonephritis pathology was noted, suggesting that a combination of EBV and genetic factors may be required to drive lupus-associated renal disease. These data support that the expression of LMP1 in the context of EBNA-1 may interact to increase immune dysregulation that leads to pathogenic, autoantigen-specific lupus inflammation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Melissa E. Munroe
- Arthritis and Clinical Immunology Program, Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation, Oklahoma City, OK, United States
| | - Jourdan R. Anderson
- Arthritis and Clinical Immunology Program, Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation, Oklahoma City, OK, United States
| | - Timothy F. Gross
- Arthritis and Clinical Immunology Program, Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation, Oklahoma City, OK, United States
| | - Laura L. Stunz
- Department of Microbiology & Immunology, The University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, United States
| | - Gail A. Bishop
- Department of Microbiology & Immunology, The University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, United States
- Department of Internal Medicine, The University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, United States
- Holden Comprehensive Cancer Center, The University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, United States
- Iowa City VA Medical Center, Iowa City, IA, United States
| | - Judith A. James
- Arthritis and Clinical Immunology Program, Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation, Oklahoma City, OK, United States
- Department of Medicine and Pathology, Oklahoma University Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, OK, United States
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