Th17-relevant cytokines vary with sera of different ANA staining patterns

Exosome circRNAs and ceRNA network profiles in different ANA sera

Increasing evidences show that circRNAs are associated with some autoimmunity diseases either as a biomarker or therapeutic target. Exosomes containing nucleic acids and proteins are found in sera of series diseases and could serve as either diagnostic or therapeutic target. ANA serves as first common diagnostic test for autoimmunity disease, different ANA staining reflecting different types of autoimmunity disease. Till now, whether different ANA sera exosomes express different circRNAs and relevant ceRNA networks are still shortage of investigation. This study analyzed circRNAs, miRNAs, and their interaction networks in different ANA sera exosomes by high-throughput sequencing. It found no significant difference of total circRNAs and miRNAs amount across different ANA sera exosomes. However, significant differences were found of circRNAs, miRNA constituents, function analysis by KEGG and GO, and their ceRNA networks including miRNA-circRNA and miRNA-mRNA among different ANA sera exosomes, suggesting sera exosome circRNAs as either biomarker or mechanism of autoimmunity diseases.

Comparisons of presentations and outcomes of neuromyelitis optica patients with and without Sjögren's syndrome

Patients with neuromyelitis optica (NMO) often have an accompanying autoimmune disease, most commonly, but not limited to Sjögren's syndrome (SS). The aim of this study was to compare clinical and laboratory features between NMO patients with and without SS and to investigate the prognosis of NMO in patients with and without SS. Twenty-three NMO patients with SS and 42 NMO patients without SS were included. Clinical and laboratory profiles were compared, including annual relapse rate and time from onset of NMO to Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS) scores of 4.0 and 6.0. More NMO patients with SS than those without SS had anti-nuclear antibody, anti-SS-A/Ro and anti-SS-B/La antibodies (91.3 vs. 35.7%, p < 0.001, 87.0 vs. 2.3%, p < 0.001, and 34.8 vs. 0.0%, p < 0.001, respectively). Serum immunoglobulins (IgA, IgM and IgG) were markedly increased in NMO patients with SS in comparison with those without SS. Annual relapse rate and the time from disease onset to an EDSS score of 4.0 and 6.0 were not significantly different between the two groups. No differences between the two groups were found for the other parameters, including AQP-4 antibody status, length of spinal cord lesion and brain lesions. These results imply that NMO in SS more likely represents coexistence with SS rather than representing the result of direct central nervous system involvement in SS. Autoimmune response appears to be more intense in the NMO group with SS, but did not cause a more severe prognosis in comparison with the group without SS, indicating that we should pay attention to the potential benefit of the antinuclear antibodies in NMO.