Association between FCGR3B copy number variations and susceptibility to autoimmune diseases: a meta-analysis

Vitamin D in Primary Sjogren's Syndrome (pSS) and the Identification of Novel Single-Nucleotide Polymorphisms Involved in the Development of pSS-Associated Diseases

Sjögren's syndrome (SS) is a chronic autoimmune disorder characterised by lymphocytic infiltration of the exocrine glands, which leads to dryness of the eyes and mouth; systemic manifestations such as arthritis, vasculitis, and interstitial lung disease; and increased risks of lymphoma and cardiovascular diseases. SS predominantly affects women, with a strong genetic component linked to sex chromosomes. Genome-wide association studies (GWASs) have identified numerous single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) associated with primary SS (pSS), revealing insights into its pathogenesis. The adaptive and innate immune systems are crucial to SS's development, with viral infections implicated as environmental triggers that exacerbate autoimmune responses in genetically susceptible individuals. Moreover, recent research has highlighted the role of vitamin D in modulating immune responses in pSS patients, suggesting its potential therapeutic implications. In this review, we focus on the recently identified SNPs in genes like OAS1, NUDT15, LINC00243, TNXB, and THBS1, which have been associated with increased risks of developing more severe symptoms and other diseases such as fatigue, lymphoma, neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (NMOSD), dry eye syndrome (DES), and adverse drug reactions. Future studies should focus on larger, multi-ethnic cohorts with standardised protocols to validate findings and identify new associations. Integrating genetic testing into clinical practise holds promise for improving SS management and treatment strategies, enabling personalised interventions based on comprehensive genetic profiles. By focusing on specific SNPs, vitamin D, and their implications, future research can lead to more effective and personalised approaches for managing pSS and its complications.

The Genetic Cross-Talk between Periodontitis and Chronic Kidney Failure Revealed by Transcriptomic Analysis

Periodontitis and chronic kidney failure (CKF) are potentially related to each other. This bioinformatics analysis aimed at the identification of potential cross-talk genes and related pathways between periodontitis and CKF. Based on NCBI Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO), datasets GSE10334, GSE16134, and GSE23586 were extracted for periodontitis. A differential expression analysis (p < 0.05, |log2(FC)| > 0.5) was performed to assess deregulated genes (DEGs). CKF-related genes were extracted from DisGeNET and examined regarding their overlap with periodontitis-related DEGs. Cytoscape was used to construct and analyze a protein-protein interaction (PPI) network. Based on Cytoscape plugin MCODE and a LASSO regression analysis, the potential hub cross-talk genes were identified. Finally, a complex PPI of the hub genes was constructed. A total of 489 DEGs for periodontitis were revealed. With the 805 CKF-related genes, an overlap of 47 cross-talk genes was found. The PPI network of the potential cross-talk genes was composed of 1081 nodes and 1191 edges. The analysis with MCODE resulted in 10 potential hub genes, while the LASSO regression resulted in 22. Finally, five hub cross-talk genes, CCL5, FCGR3B, MMP-9, SAA1, and SELL, were identified. Those genes were significantly upregulated in diseased samples compared to controls (p ≤ 0.01). Furthermore, ROC analysis showed a high predictive value of those genes (AUC ≥ 73.44%). Potentially relevant processes and pathways were primarily related to inflammation, metabolism, and cardiovascular issues. In conclusion, five hub cross-talk genes, i.e., CCL5, FCGR3B, MMP-9, SAA1, and SELL, could be involved in the interplay between periodontitis and CKF, whereby primarily inflammation, metabolic, and vascular issues appear to be of relevance.

Proteogenomic analysis of human cerebrospinal fluid identifies neurologically relevant regulation and informs causal proteins for Alzheimer's disease

The integration of quantitative trait loci (QTL) with disease genome-wide association studies (GWAS) has proven successful at prioritizing candidate genes at disease-associated loci. QTL mapping has mainly been focused on multi-tissue expression QTL or plasma protein QTL (pQTL). Here we generated the largest-to-date cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) pQTL atlas by analyzing 7,028 proteins in 3,107 samples. We identified 3,373 independent study-wide associations for 1,961 proteins, including 2,448 novel pQTLs of which 1,585 are unique to CSF, demonstrating unique genetic regulation of the CSF proteome. In addition to the established chr6p22.2-21.32 HLA region, we identified pleiotropic regions on chr3q28 near OSTN and chr19q13.32 near APOE that were enriched for neuron-specificity and neurological development. We also integrated this pQTL atlas with the latest Alzheimer's disease (AD) GWAS through PWAS, colocalization and Mendelian Randomization and identified 42 putative causal proteins for AD, 15 of which have drugs available. Finally, we developed a proteomics-based risk score for AD that outperforms genetics-based polygenic risk scores. These findings will be instrumental to further understand the biology and identify causal and druggable proteins for brain and neurological traits.

Association of Fc Gamma Receptor 3B Gene Copy Number Variation with Rheumatoid Arthritis Susceptibility

Structural variations such as copy number variants (CNVs) have been associated with multiple autoimmune diseases. In this study, we explored the association of the Fc gamma receptor 3B gene (FCGR3B) copy number variation (CNV) with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) susceptibility and related serological traits in the Pakistani population. We also performed a meta-analysis of four published FCGR3B CNV studies along with the current study. A total of 927 subjects (597 RA cases, 330 healthy controls) were recruited from three rheumatology centers in Pakistan. Anti-cyclic citrullinated peptide (anti-CCP) antibodies and rheumatoid factor (RF) were measured in RA patients. FCGR3B copy number was assayed using the TaqMan^® CN assay (Hs04211858_cn, Applied Biosystems, Foster City, CA, USA) and the copy number was estimated by using CopyCaller^® software (version 2.1; Applied Biosystems, USA). Logistic regression was applied to calculate the odds ratio (OR) of RA risk associated with FCGR3B CNV using sex and age as covariates in R. Meta-analysis on four previously published studies and the current study was performed using the random-effect model. We observed a significant association between FCGR3B copy number < 2 and RA susceptibility (OR = 1.53; 95% CI: 1.05 to 2.22; p = 0.0259) and anti-CCP seropositivity (OR 2.56; 95% CI: 1.34 to 4.89; p = 0.0045). A non-significant association of FCGR3B copy number < 2 was also observed between increased rheumatoid factor (RF) seropositivity (OR = 1.74; 95% CI:0.93 to 3.26; p = 0.0816). Meta-analysis on 13,915 subjects (7005 RA cases and 6907 controls) also showed significant association of copy number < 2 with the increased risk of RA (OR = 1.30; 95% CI: 1.07 to 1.56; p = 0.00671). FCGR3B copy number < 2 is associated with increased RA risk and anti-CCP seropositivity.

Potential Target Genes in the Development of Atrial Fibrillation: A Comprehensive Bioinformatics Analysis

Background

Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the most prevalent arrhythmia worldwide. Although it is not life-threatening, the accompanying rapid and irregular ventricular rate can lead to hemodynamic deterioration and obvious symptoms, especially the risk of cerebrovascular embolism. Our study aimed to identify novel and promising genes that could explain the underlying mechanism of AF development.

Material/Methods

Expression profiles GSE41177, GSE79768, and GSE14975 were acquired from the Gene Expression Omnibus Database. R software was used for identifying differentially expressed genes (DEGs), and Gene Ontology and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes enrichment analyses were subsequently performed. A protein–protein interaction network was constructed in Cytoscape software. Next, a least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) model was constructed and receiver-operating characteristic curve analysis was conducted to assess the specificity and sensitivity of the key genes.

Results

We obtained 204 DEGs from the datasets. The DEGs were mostly involved in immune response and cell communication. The primary pathways of the DEGs were related to the course or maintenance of autoimmune and chronic inflammatory diseases. The top 20 hub genes (high scores in cytoHubba) were selected in the PPI network. Finally, we identified 6 key genes (FCGR3B, CLEC10A, FPR2, IGSF6, S100A9, and S100A12) via the LASSO model.

Conclusions

We present 6 target genes that are potentially involved in the molecular mechanisms of AF development. In addition, these genes are likely to serve as potential therapeutic targets.

Nonendocrine mechanisms of sex bias in rheumatic diseases

Rheumatic diseases affect a wide range of individuals of all ages, but the most common diseases occur more frequently in women than in men, at ratios of up to ten women to one man. Despite a growing number of studies on sex bias in rheumatic diseases, sex-specific health care is limited and sex specificity is not systematically integrated into treatment regimens. Women and men differ in three major biological points: the number of X chromosomes per cell, the type and quantities of sex hormones present and the ability to be pregnant, all of which have immunological consequences. Could a greater understanding of these differences lead to a new era of personalized sex-specific medicine? This Review focuses on the main genetic and epigenetic mechanisms that have been put forward to explain sex bias in rheumatic diseases, including X chromosome inactivation, sex chromosome aneuploidy and microchimerism. The influence of sex hormones is not discussed in detail in this Review, as it has been well described elsewhere. Understanding the sex-specific factors that contribute to the initiation and progression of rheumatic diseases will enable progress to be made in the diagnosis, treatment and management of all patients with these conditions.

Genetic Variation in Low-To-Medium-Affinity Fcγ Receptors: Functional Consequences, Disease Associations, and Opportunities for Personalized Medicine

Fc-gamma receptors (FcγR) are the cellular receptors for Immunoglobulin G (IgG). Upon binding of complexed IgG, FcγRs can trigger various cellular immune effector functions, thereby linking the adaptive and innate immune systems. In humans, six classic FcγRs are known: one high-affinity receptor (FcγRI) and five low-to-medium-affinity FcγRs (FcγRIIA, -B and -C, FcγRIIIA and -B). In this review we describe the five genes encoding the low-to-medium -affinity FcγRs (FCGR2A, FCGR2B, FCGR2C, FCGR3A, and FCGR3B), including well-characterized functionally relevant single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), haplotypes as well as copy number variants (CNVs), which occur in distinct copy number regions across the locus. The evolution of the locus is also discussed. Importantly, we recommend a consistent nomenclature of genetic variants in the FCGR2/3 locus. Next, we focus on the relevance of genetic variation in the FCGR2/3 locus in auto-immune and auto-inflammatory diseases, highlighting pathophysiological insights that are informed by genetic association studies. Finally, we illustrate how specific FcγR variants relate to variation in treatment responses and prognosis amongst autoimmune diseases, cancer and transplant immunology, suggesting novel opportunities for personalized medicine.

Expression, Role, and Regulation of Neutrophil Fcγ Receptors

Neutrophils are best known for their critical role in host defense, for which they utilize multiple innate immune mechanisms, including microbe-associated pattern recognition, phagocytosis, production of reactive oxygen species, and the release of potent proteases, mediators, antimicrobials, and neutrophil extracellular traps. Beyond their well-established contribution to innate immunity, neutrophils were more recently reported to interact with various other cell types, including cells from the adaptive immune system, thereby enabling neutrophils to tune the overall immune response of the host. Neutrophils express different receptors for IgG antibodies (Fcγ receptors), which facilitate the engulfment of IgG-opsonized microbes and trigger cell activation upon cross-linking of several receptors. Indeed, FcγRs (via IgG antibodies) confer neutrophils with a key feature of the adaptive immunity: an antigen-specific cell response. This review summarizes the expression and function of FcγRs on human neutrophils in health and disease and how they are affected by polymorphisms in the FCGR loci. Additionally, we will discuss the role of neutrophils in providing help to marginal zone B cells for the production of antibodies, which in turn may trigger neutrophil effector functions when engaging FcγRs.

FcγRIIIb Restricts Antibody-Dependent Destruction of Cancer Cells by Human Neutrophils

The function of the low-affinity IgG-receptor FcγRIIIb (CD16b), which is uniquely and abundantly expressed on human granulocytes, is not clear. Unlike the other Fcγ receptors (FcγR), it is a glycophosphatidyl inositol (GPI) -anchored molecule and does not have intracellular signaling motifs. Nevertheless, FcγRIIIb can cooperate with other FcγR to promote phagocytosis of antibody-opsonized microbes by human neutrophils. Here we have investigated the role of FcγRIIIb during antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity (ADCC) by neutrophils toward solid cancer cells coated with either trastuzumab (anti-HER2) or cetuximab (anti-EGFR). Inhibiting FcγRIIIb using CD16-F(ab')₂ blocking antibodies resulted in substantially enhanced ADCC. ADCC was completely dependent on FcγRIIa (CD32a) and the enhanced ADCC seen after FcγRIIIb blockade therefore suggested that FcγRIIIb was competing with FcγRIIa for IgG on the opsonized target cells. Interestingly, the function of neutrophil FcγRIIIb as a decoy receptor was further supported by using neutrophils from individuals with different gene copy numbers of FCGR3B causing different levels of surface FcγRIIIb expression. Individuals with one copy of FCGR3B showed higher levels of ADCC compared to those with two or more copies. Finally, we show that therapeutic antibodies intended to improve FcγRIIIa (CD16a)-dependent natural killer (NK) cell ADCC due to the lack of fucosylation on the N-linked glycan at position N297 of the IgG₁ heavy chain Fc-region, show decreased ADCC as compared to regularly fucosylated antibodies. Together, these data confirm FcγRIIIb as a negative regulator of neutrophil ADCC toward tumor cells and a potential target for enhancing tumor cell destruction by neutrophils.

Copy number variation in the susceptibility to systemic lupus erythematosus

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is an autoimmune disease with a strong genetic component and etiology characterized by chronic inflammation and autoantibody production. The purpose of this study was to ascertain copy number variation (CNV) in SLE using a case-control design in an admixed Brazilian population. The whole-genome detection of CNV was performed using Cytoscan HD array in SLE patients and healthy controls. The best CNV candidates were then evaluated by quantitative real-time PCR in a larger cohort or validated using droplet digital PCR. Logistic regression models adjusted for sex and ancestry covariates was applied to evaluate the association between CNV with SLE susceptibility. The data showed a synergistic effect between the FCGR3B and ADAM3A loci with the presence of deletions in both loci significantly increasing the risk to SLE (5.9-fold) compared to the deletion in the single FCGR3B locus (3.6-fold). In addition, duplications in these genes were indeed more frequent in healthy subjects, suggesting that high FCGR3B/ADAM3A gene copy numbers are protective factors against to disease development. Overall, 21 rare CNVs were identified in SLE patients using a four-step pipeline created for identification of rare variants. Furthermore, heterozygous deletions overlapping the CFHR4, CFHR5 and HLA-DPB2 genes were described for the first time in SLE patients. Here we present the first genome-wide CNV study of SLE patients in a tri-hybrid population. The results show that novel susceptibility loci to SLE can be found once the distribution of structural variants is analyzed throughout the whole genome.

Identification of new biomarkers to promote personalised treatment of patients with inflammatory rheumatic disease: protocol for an open cohort study

INTRODUCTION

The introduction of biological disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (bDMARDs) has improved the treatment of inflammatory rheumatic diseases dramatically. However, bDMARD treatment failure occurs in 30%-40% of patients due to lack of effect or adverse events, and the tools to predict treatment outcomes in individual patients are currently limited. The objective of the present study is to identify diagnostic, prognostic and predictive biomarkers, which can be used to (1) diagnose inflammatory rheumatic diseases early in the disease course with high sensitivity and specificity, (2) improve prognostication or (3) predict and monitor treatment effectiveness and tolerability for the individual patient.

METHODS AND ANALYSIS

The present study is an observational and translational open cohort study with prospective collection of clinical data and biological materials (primarily blood) in patients with inflammatory rheumatic diseases treated in routine care. Patients contribute with one cross-sectional blood sample and/or are enrolled for longitudinal follow-up on initiation of a new DMARD (blood sampling after 0, 3, 6, 12, 24, 36, 48, 60 months of treatment). Other biological materials will be collected when accessible and relevant. Demographics, disease characteristics, comorbidities and lifestyle factors are registered at inclusion; DMARD treatment and outcomes are collected repeatedly during follow-up. Currently (July 2017), >5000 samples from approximately 3000 patients have been collected. Data will be analysed using appropriate statistical analyses.

ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION

The protocol is approved by the Danish Ethics Committee and the Danish Data Protection Agency. Participants give written and oral informed consent. Biomarkers will be evaluated and published according to the Reporting Recommendations for Tumour Marker (REMARK) prognostic studies, Strengthening the Reporting of Observational Studies in Epidemiology (STROBE) and the Standards for Reporting of Diagnostic Accuracy (STARD) guidelines. Results will be published in peer-reviewed scientific journals and presented at international conferences.

TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER

NCT03214263.