Association of TNFSF4 Gene Polymorphisms and Plasma TNFSF4 Level with Risk of Systemic Lupus Erythematosus in a Chinese Population

TNFSF4 is a risk factor for rheumatoid arthritis but not for primary Sjögren's syndrome in the Mexican population

PURPOSE

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and primary Sjögren's syndrome (pSS) are autoimmune diseases (ADs) characterized by joint damage and involvement of the salivary glands, respectively. ADs share some susceptibility loci, such as TNFSF4, which is a classical susceptibility gene associated with systemic lupus erythematosus, but its role in RA and pSS is not yet clear. Thus, the aim of this study was to determine whether three TNFSFS4 polymorphisms are associated with RA and pSS.

METHODS

Our case-control study included 500 controls, 459 patients with RA, and 210 patients with pSS from Mexico. TNFSF4 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) rs1234315C/T, rs2205960G/T, and rs704840T/G were genotyped using TaqMan probes and discrimination allelic assay.

RESULTS

The three TNFSF4 SNPs were associated with susceptibility to RA (rs1234315C/T: odds ratio [OR] 1.4, p = 0.01; rs2205960G/T: OR 1.23, p = 0.03; rs704840T/G: OR 1.24, p = 0.02). An association between TNFSF4 rs1234315C/T and pSS was also observed (OR 1.28, p = 0.04), however, after Bonferroni correction, this association was lost.

CONCLUSION

Our data suggest that TNFSF4 could be a risk factor in RA but not pSS in a Mexican population.

The regulatory function of mixed lineage kinase 3 in tumor and host immunity

Protein kinases are the second most sought-after G-protein coupled receptors as drug targets because of their overexpression, mutations, and dysregulated catalytic activities in various pathological conditions. Till 2019, 48 protein kinase inhibitors have received FDA approval for the treatment of multiple illnesses, of which the majority of them are indicated for different malignancies. One of the attractive sub-group of protein kinases that has attracted attention for drug development is the family members of MAPKs that are recognized to play significant roles in different cancers. Several inhibitors have been developed against various MAPK members; however, none of them as monotherapy has shown sustainable efficacy. One of the MAPK members, called Mixed Lineage Kinase 3 (MLK3), has attracted considerable attention due to its role in inflammation and neurodegenerative diseases; however, its role in cancer is an emerging area that needs more investigation. Recent advances have shown that MLK3 plays a role in cancer cell survival, migration, drug resistance, cell death, and tumor immunity. This review describes how MLK3 regulates different MAPK pathways, cancer cell growth and survival, apoptosis, and host's immunity. We also discuss how MLK3 inhibitors can potentially be used along with immunotherapy for different malignancies.