Anti-CENPI autoantibodies in scleroderma patients with features of autoimmune liver diseases

Identification of the Neointimal Hyperplasia-Related LncRNA-mRNA-Immune Cell Regulatory Network in a Rat Carotid Artery Balloon Injury Model

Excessive neointimal hyperplasia (NIH) of coronary vessels in patients is the main cause of restenosis (RS) after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). This study aimed to identify the regulatory genes related to NIH in a rat carotid artery balloon injury model.We established a rat model and performed RNA sequencing to identify differentially expressed long non-coding RNAs (DElncRNAs) and differentially expressed message RNAs (DEmRNAs). Immune cells were analyzed using a murine Microenvironment Cell Population counter. The Pearson correlation between DEmRNAs, DElncRNAs, and immune cells was analyzed, followed by function enrichment analysis. Core DEmRNA was identified using Cytoscape. Next, a core lncRNAs-mRNAs-immune cell regulatory network was constructed. NIH-related gene sets from the Gene Expression Omnibus and GeneCards databases were used for validation.A total of 2,165 DEmRNAs and 705 DElncRNAs were identified in rat carotid artery tissue. Four key immune cells were screened out, including mast cells, vessels, endothelial cells, and fibroblasts. Based on the Pearson correlation between DEmRNAs, DElncRNAs and 4 key immune cells, 246 DEmRNAs and 93 DElncRNAs were obtained. DEmRNAs that interact with lncRNAs were mainly involved in the cell cycle, MAPK signaling pathway, and PI3K-Akt signaling pathway. A core lncRNA-mRNA-immune cell regulatory network was constructed, including 9 mRNAs, 4 lncRNAs, and fibroblasts. External datasets validation confirmed the significant correlation of both these mRNAs and lncRNAs with NIH.In this study, an lncRNA-mRNA-immune cell regulatory network related to NIH was constructed, which provided clues for exploring the potential mechanism of RS in cardiovascular diseases.

Pan-Cancer Analysis Reveals CENPI as a Potential Biomarker and Therapeutic Target in Adrenocortical Carcinoma

Background

Centromere protein I (CENPI) has been shown to affect the tumorigenesis of breast and colorectal cancers. However, its biological role and prognostic value in other kinds of cancer, especially adrenocortical carcinoma (ACC), remained to be further investigated.

Methods

Various bioinformatics tools were adopted for exploring the significance of differential expression of CENPI in several malignant tumors from databases such as Depmap portal, GTEx, and TCGA. ACC was selected for further analyzed, and information such as clinicopathological features, the prognostic outcome of diverse subgroups, differentially expressed genes (DEGs), co-expression genes, as well as levels of tumor-infiltrating immune cells (TIIC), was extracted from multiple databases. To verify the possibility of CENPI as a therapeutic target in ACC, drug sensitivity assay and si-RNA mediate knockdown of CENPI were carried out.

Results

The pan-cancer analyses showed that the CENPI mRNA expression levels differed significantly among most cancer types. Additionally, a high precision in cancer prediction and close relation with cancer survival indicated that CENPI could be a potential candidate biomarker to diagnose and predict cancer prognosis. In ACC, CENPI was closely related to multiple clinical characteristics, such as pathological stage and primary therapy outcome. High CENPI levels predicted poor overall survival (OS), progression-free interval (PFI), and disease-specific survival (DSS) of ACC patients, particularly for different clinical subgroups. Moreover, the expression of CENPI showed positive relationship to Th2 cells but negatively related to most of the TIICs. Furthermore, drug sensitivity assay showed that vorinostat inhibit CENPI expression and ACC cell growth. Additionally, si-RNA mediated knockdown of CENPI inhibited ACC cell growth and invasion and showed synergistic anti-proliferation effect with AURKB inhibitor barasertib.

Conclusion

Pan-cancer analysis demonstrated that CENPI is a potential diagnostic and prognostic biomarker in various cancers as well as an anti-ACC therapeutic target.

Graham-Little-Piccardi-Lassueur Syndrome: Two Case Reports and Review of the Literature

Graham-Little-Piccardi-Lassueur syndrome (GLPLS) is a rare syndrome characterized by the triad of cicatricial alopecia of the scalp, non-cicatricial alopecia of the axilla and groin and follicular lichen planus eruptions on the trunk and extremities. GLPLS is considered to be a variant of lichen planopilaris. We report two cases that have fulfilled all of the criteria for GLPLS. The first case was a 71-year-old woman, admitted to the Department of Dermatology for pruritic perifollicullar erythema and scaling of the scalp, cicatricial scalp alopecia and hair loss of the axilla and pubic region for five months. Subsequently, follicular hyperkeratotic eruptions and hyperpigmented macules on the skin of the chest and abdomen appeared. The second case was a 48-year-old man with pruritic follicular papules on the face, trunk and extremities for four months. All of the laboratory examinations in both patients were within normal limits. No alternation in the general condition of the patients was observed. Histological examinations in both patients confirmed the diagnosis GLPLS. The patients were treated with systemic and local corticosteroid resulting in marked improvement of the skin lesions; however, cicatricial scalp alopecia showed no response to the treatment.

Proteomics characterization of CENP-B epitope in Moroccan scleroderma patients with anti-centromere autoantibodies

BACKGROUND

Anti-centromere auto-antibodies (ACA) have been described as a marker in Systemic sclerosis (SSc) disease. CENP-B is the major centromere auto-antigen recognized by SSc patients with positive ACA. Our aim was to characterize the major epitope involved in the anti-CENP-B immune response of Moroccan SSc patients.

PATIENTS AND METHOD

For identification of SSc biomarkers, 80 sera from patients with SSc and systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) were screened by indirect immunofluorescence test (IIF) to assess the presence of ANA reactivity. Immunoblotting analysis was performed for 11 sera with positive ACA using the N-terminal and C-terminal region of CENP-B protein as antigens.

RESULTS

29 out of 30 (96, 66 %) patients with SSc had positive ANA. 11 out of 30 (36, 67 %) patients were ACA positive and 6 of them produced auto-antibodies against Nt-CENPB antigen. Two of these 6 Nt-CENPB positive sera produced also other auto-antibodies associated to primary biliary cirrhosis. None of all sera tested showed reactivity against Ct-CENPB.

CONCLUSION

Our data showed, for the first time in Morocco, that the Nt-CENPB contains a major epitope for Moroccan SSc patients. These findings could provide additional information that would contribute to improving the diagnosis and management of these patients.

Centromere protein I (CENPI) is a candidate gene for X-linked steroid sensitive nephrotic syndrome

BACKGROUND

Individuals with proteinuria in association with hypoalbuminemia, edema, and hyperlipidemia are considered as having nephrotic syndrome (NS). NS is the most common kidney disease seen in the paediatric age group. NS is usually classified into steroid resistant nephrotic syndrome (SRNS) and steroid sensitive nephrotic syndrome (SSNS). More than 58 genes have been identified as a monogenic cause of SRNS, however, the genetic architecture of childhood SSNS remains poorly understood.

METHODS

Here in this study, we performed sequencing of 66 NS candidate genes followed by whole genome SNP genotyping and whole exome sequencing in SSNS families with multiple affected individuals.

RESULTS

NS candidate genes sequencing did not identify any pathogenic variant in the known genes. Homozygosity mapping based on an autosomal recessive model failed to detect any shared loss of heterozygosity region in the genome. An unbiased and hypothesis-free exome data analysis identified a missense variant (c.383G>A; p.Arg128Gln) in the CENPI gene. Sanger sequencing of both parents, unaffected and affected individuals confirmed an X-linked inheritance pattern of the variant (c.383G>A) with SSNS phenotype. The variant (c.383G>A) is very rare and is potentially damaging.

CONCLUSION

Collectively, these observations suggest that a specific pathogenic link between SSNS development and alteration in CENPI exists. However, human mutations in CENPI causing SSNS have not been reported hitherto. Identification of genetic defects underlying SSNS will help in understanding the precise aetiology of SSNS and improved management of children with NS.

Systemic sclerosis and primary biliary cholangitis: An overlapping entity?

Systemic sclerosis (SSc) is a complex autoimmune disease that may lead to skin and internal organ fibrosis. Based on skin involvement, two subsets of the disease are recognized (limited cutaneous SSc and diffuse cutaneous SSc). The new 2013 American College of Rheumatology/European League against Rheumatism classification criteria allow to identify SSc patients at the early stage of the disease that allows new research avenues. The aetiology of the disease is still unknown, but it has an important autoimmune basis and its association with other autoimmune diseases has been reproducibly reported. Among them, primary biliary cholangitis is considered the most common liver disease in SSc. The aim of this review is to provide an overview on recent findings about SSc associated to primary biliary cholangitis. Although the aetiology of the two diseases is still unknown, data suggest that these two disorders share the expression of fibrogenic cytokines, involved both in generation and function of T lymphocytes subpopulation (Th17 cells) and regulatory T lymphocytes. In addition, the relationships between SSc and primary biliary cholangitis may be closer as suggested by the presence of primary biliary cholangitis-specific antibodies in SSc patients and vice versa. Recent findings confirm a prevalence of overt primary biliary cholangitis in about 2% of SSc population, in particular in patients with limited cutaneous SSc and positive anticentromere antibodies. The prevalence increases if also patients with only primary biliary cholangitis-specific antibodies are considered. Data regarding SSc prevalence in primary biliary cholangitis patients have also been recently clarified. Altogether, stimulating results are moving the field forward regarding the relationships of these two autoimmune and fibrotic disorders that may belong to an overlapping entity.

CENPI is overexpressed in colorectal cancer and regulates cell migration and invasion

Centromere protein I (CENPI),an important member of centromere protein family, has been suggest to serve as a oncogene in breast cancer, but the clinical significance and biological function of CENPI in colorectal cancer (CRC) is still unclear. In our results, we found CENPI was overexpressed in CRC tissues and cells, and associated with clinical stage, tumor depth, lymph node metastasis, distant metastasis and differentiation in CRC patients. However, there was no significant association between CENPI protein expression and overall survival time in colon cancer patients and rectal cancer patients through analyzing TCGA survival data. Moreover, CENPI mRNA and protein were increased in metastatic lymph nodes compared with primary CRC tissues. Down-regulation of CENPI expression suppresses CRC cell migration, invasion and epithelial mesenchymal transition process. In conclusion, CENPI is overexpressed in CRC and functions as oncogene in modulating CRC cell migration, invasion and EMT process.

Accounting for eXentricities: analysis of the X chromosome in GWAS reveals X-linked genes implicated in autoimmune diseases

Many complex human diseases are highly sexually dimorphic, suggesting a potential contribution of the X chromosome to disease risk. However, the X chromosome has been neglected or incorrectly analyzed in most genome-wide association studies (GWAS). We present tailored analytical methods and software that facilitate X-wide association studies (XWAS), which we further applied to reanalyze data from 16 GWAS of different autoimmune and related diseases (AID). We associated several X-linked genes with disease risk, among which (1) ARHGEF6 is associated with Crohn's disease and replicated in a study of ulcerative colitis, another inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Indeed, ARHGEF6 interacts with a gastric bacterium that has been implicated in IBD. (2) CENPI is associated with three different AID, which is compelling in light of known associations with AID of autosomal genes encoding centromere proteins, as well as established autosomal evidence of pleiotropy between autoimmune diseases. (3) We replicated a previous association of FOXP3, a transcription factor that regulates T-cell development and function, with vitiligo; and (4) we discovered that C1GALT1C1 exhibits sex-specific effect on disease risk in both IBDs. These and other X-linked genes that we associated with AID tend to be highly expressed in tissues related to immune response, participate in major immune pathways, and display differential gene expression between males and females. Combined, the results demonstrate the importance of the X chromosome in autoimmunity, reveal the potential of extensive XWAS, even based on existing data, and provide the tools and incentive to properly include the X chromosome in future studies.

Diagnostic and clinical significance of anti-centromere antibodies in primary biliary cirrhosis

Primary biliary cirrhosis (PBC) is an autoimmune disease of the liver characterised by biochemical evidence of cholestasis, elevated alkaline phosphatase levels and the presence of the highly disease specific anti-mitochondrial autoantibodies. Extra-hepatic autoimmune manifestations are common, including rheumatic disorders, such as systemic sclerosis (SSc). Notably, PBC is the most frequent autoimmune liver disease in SSc patients. Based on skin lesion extension, two major SSc disease subgroups are recognised: limited cutaneous SSc (lSSc) and diffuse cutaneous SSc. Anti-centromere antibody (ACA) positivity is highly characteristic of SSc, with up to 90% prevalence in lSSc patients. ACA has also been found in up to 30% of PBC patients and 80% of patients with a PBC/SSc overlap syndrome. The diagnostic and clinical significance of ACA positivity in patients with PBC without SSc has recently been under investigation, with several studies highlighting links to severe bile duct injury and portal hypertension. This review discusses the diagnostic and clinical relevance of ACA in patients with PBC, with or without SSc.

Correlation between centromere protein-F autoantibodies and cancer analyzed by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay

Background

Centromere protein-F (CENP-F) is a large nuclear protein of 367 kDa, which is involved in multiple mitosis-related events such as proper assembly of the kinetochores, stabilization of heterochromatin, chromosome alignment and mitotic checkpoint signaling. Several studies have shown a correlation between CENP-F and cancer, e.g. the expression of CENP-F has been described to be upregulated in cancer cells. Furthermore, several studies have described a significant correlation between the expression of autoantibodies to CENP-F and cancer.

Methods

Autoantibodies to CENP-F were detected in a small number of samples during routine indirect immunofluorescence (IIF) analysis for anti-nuclear antibodies (ANA) using HEp-2 cells as substrate. Using overlapping synthetic peptides covering a predicted structural maintenance of chromosomes (SMC) domain, we developed an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) for detection of CENP-F antibodies.

Results

Analyzing the reactivity of the sera positive in IIF for CENP-F antibodies to overlapping CENP-F peptides, we showed that autoantibodies to several peptides correlate with the presence of antibodies to CENP-F and a diagnosis of cancer, as increased CENP-F antibody expression specific for malignant cancer patients to five peptides was found (A9, A12, A14, A16, A27). These antibodies to CENP-F in clinical samples submitted for ANA analysis were found to have a positive predictive value for cancer of 50%. Furthermore, the expression of cancer-correlated CENP-F antibodies seemed to increase as a function of time from diagnosis.

Conclusion

These results conform to previous findings that approximately 50% of those patients clinically tested for ANA analyses who express CENP-F antibodies are diagnosed with cancer, confirming that these antibodies may function as circulating tumor markers. Thus, a peptide-based CENP-F ELISA focused on the SMC domain may aid in identifying individuals with a potential cancer.

Liver abnormalities in connective tissue diseases

The liver is a lymphoid organ involved in the immune response and in the maintenance of tolerance to self molecules, but it is also a target of autoimmune reactions, as observed in primary liver autoimmune diseases (AILD) such as autoimmune hepatitis, primary biliary cirrhosis, and primary sclerosing cholangitis. Further, the liver is frequently involved in connective tissue diseases (CTD), most commonly in the form of liver function test biochemical changes with predominant cholestatic or hepatocellular patterns. CTD commonly affecting the liver include systemic lupus erythematosus, antiphospholypid syndrome, primary Sjögren's syndrome, systemic sclerosis, dermatomyositis, polimyositis, and anti-synthetase syndrome, while overlap syndromes between AILD and CTD may also be diagnosed. Although liver cirrhosis and failure are extremely rare in patients with CTD, unusual liver conditions such as nodular regenerative hyperplasia or Budd-Chiari syndrome have been reported with increasing frequency in patients with CTD. Acute or progressing liver involvement is generally related to viral hepatitis reactivation or to a concomitant AILD, so it appears to be fundamental to screen patients for HBV and HCV infection, in order to provide the ideal therapeutic regimen and avoid life-threatening reactivations. Finally, it is important to remember that the main cause of biochemical liver abnormalities in patients with CTD is a drug-induced alteration or coexisting viral hepatitis. The present article will provide a general overview of the liver involvement in CTD to allow rheumatologists to discriminate the most common clinical scenarios.

New centromere autoantigens identified in systemic sclerosis using centromere protein microarrays

OBJECTIVE

To identify novel centromere protein (CENP) targets of anticentromere antibodies (ACA), and to investigate their association with clinical manifestations of systemic sclerosis (SSc).

METHODS

A CENP-focused protein microarray was fabricated by spotting 14 purified CENP. These microarrays were individually incubated with 35 ACA-positive SSc sera and 20 ACA-negative healthy control samples. Newly identified CENP autoantigens with high sensitivities were selected for validation and characterization.

RESULTS

Statistical analysis revealed 11 CENP are potential target antigens of ACA in patients with SSc. Of them, 5 [CENP-P, CENP-Q, CENP-M (isoform I), CENP-J, and CENP-T] are novel, among which CENP-P and CENP-Q showed high sensitivities in ACA-positive SSc sera of 34.3% and 28.6%, respectively. Subsequently, 186 SSc sera (35 ACA-positives and 151 negatives), 69 ACA-positive sera from other various autoimmune diseases (primary Sjögren syndrome, systemic lupus erythematosus, rheumatoid arthritis, and primary biliary cirrhosis), and 31 healthy sera were assayed for the presence of anti-CENP-P and -Q autoantibodies by ELISA followed by Western blotting analysis. CENP-P and -Q autoantibodies were detected in ACA-positive sera of various disease groups; among them, SSc showed the highest detection rate. Anti-CENP-P was also found in 9 of the 151 ACA-negative sera. Analyses of the correlation with clinical information showed anti-CENP-P-positive patients had higher levels of IgG, IgA, and erythrocyte sedimentation rate among the ACA-positive cohort and were more vulnerable to renal disease in the ACA-negative patients with SSc. Regardless of ACA status, anti-CENP-P or Q-negative patients seem to be predominantly affected by interstitial lung disease.

CONCLUSION

CENP-P and CENP-Q were identified as novel ACA autoantigens by CENP microarray assays followed by validation of ELISA and Western blotting. Both of them have prognostic utility for interstitial lung disease. CENP-P was associated with renal disease in an ACA-negative cohort.

Low prevalence of autoantibodies to CENP-H, -I, -K, -L, -M, -N, -T and -U in a Japanese cohort of anti-centromere positive samples

OBJECTIVE

The constituents of the centromere region, centromere protein (CENP)-A, -B, and -C, are mainly targeted by anticentromere antibodies (ACA). Many other proteins also assemble around CENP-A nucleosomes in interphase nuclei to form the interphase centromere complex (ICEN). CENP-H, -I, -K, -L, -M, -N, -T, and -U have been reported as the constitutive components of ICEN. In this study, we examined the reactivities of ACA to the 8 CENPs for the purpose of investigating their autoantigenicity.

METHODS

Sera from 95 patients with ACA were tested by western blotting (WB) and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) with the recombinant C-terminal of CENP-B (Ct-CENP-B). Next, the sera were examined for autoantibodies against the 8 CENPs by WB with each recombinant protein. Furthermore, the coiled-coil motifs and granzyme B (GB) cleavage for various CENPs were analyzed with computer tools.

RESULTS

Out of 95 ACA-positive sera, 85 and 93 sera were positive for anti-Ct-CENP-B antibodies in WB and in ELISA, respectively. In WB using the 8 CENPs, no sera reacted to any other 7 CENPs, except 1 serum, which reacted weakly to CENP-T. We were unable to find any obvious relationships between the autoantigenicity of CENPs and coiled-coil-forming probabilities or potential substrates for GB.

CONCLUSION

This study demonstrates that ACA rarely target the 8 CENPs, in contrast to CENP-B. Protein structures might not contribute in a major way to the autoantigenicity of CENPs.

Recent advances in understanding the pathogenesis of primary biliary cirrhosis

Primary biliary cirrhosis (PBC) is a chronic progressive cholestatic autoimmune liver disease characterized by the destruction of small intrahepatic bile ducts and the presence of highly specific serum antimitochondrial antibodies (AMAs). The human leukocyte antigen (HLA) gene has been proved to have strongest association with PBC susceptibility, and non-HLA genes, including IL12A, IL12RB2, STAT4, IRF5-TNPO3, ORMDL3/IKZF3, MMEL1, SPIB, CTLA-4, FCRL3 and A2BP1, are also closely associated with PBC susceptibility. Four AMAs including anti-M2, anti-M4, anti-M8 and anti-M9, and antinuclear antibodies (ANAs), such as antinuclear dot antibodies (SP100, PML, NDP52, SP140), antinuclear pore antibodies (gp210, p62), antinuclear envelope antibodies (Lamin and Lamin B receptor), and anti-centromere antibodies, may also be involved in the pathogenesis of PBC. The imbalance between Th17 cells and regulatory T lymphocytes (Treg) may also play an important role in the pathogenesis of PBC. In addition, senescence, autophagy, apoptosis of biliary epithelial cells (BECs), and environmental factors, such as Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) infection and smoking, may also contribute to the pathogenesis of PBC. Understanding of the mechanisms responsible for the pathogenesis of PBC has important implications for the treatment of PBC.