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Graßhoff H, Fourlakis K, Comdühr S, Riemekasten G. Autoantibodies as Biomarker and Therapeutic Target in Systemic Sclerosis. Biomedicines 2022; 10:biomedicines10092150. [PMID: 36140251 PMCID: PMC9496142 DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines10092150] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2022] [Revised: 08/21/2022] [Accepted: 08/23/2022] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
Systemic sclerosis (SSc) is a rare connective tissue disorder characterized by immune dysregulation evoking the pathophysiological triad of inflammation, fibrosis and vasculopathy. In SSc, several alterations in the B-cell compartment have been described, leading to polyclonal B-cell hyperreactivity, hypergammaglobulinemia and autoantibody production. Autoreactive B cells and autoantibodies promote and maintain pathologic mechanisms. In addition, autoantibodies in SSc are important biomarkers for predicting clinical phenotype and disease progression. Autoreactive B cells and autoantibodies represent potentially promising targets for therapeutic approaches including B-cell-targeting therapies, as well as strategies for unselective and selective removal of autoantibodies. In this review, we present mechanisms of the innate immune system leading to the generation of autoantibodies, alterations of the B-cell compartment in SSc, autoantibodies as biomarkers and autoantibody-mediated pathologies in SSc as well as potential therapeutic approaches to target these.
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The role of neutrophils in rheumatic disease-associated vascular inflammation. Nat Rev Rheumatol 2022; 18:158-170. [PMID: 35039664 DOI: 10.1038/s41584-021-00738-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 12/10/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Vascular pathologies underpin and intertwine autoimmune rheumatic diseases and cardiovascular conditions, and atherosclerosis is increasingly recognized as the leading cause of morbidity in conditions such as systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), rheumatoid arthritis and antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibody-associated vasculitis. Neutrophils, important cells in the innate immune system, exert their functional effects in tissues via a variety of mechanisms, including the generation of neutrophil extracellular traps and the production of reactive oxygen species. Neutrophils have been implicated in the pathogenesis of several rheumatic diseases, and can also intimately interact with the vascular system, either through modulating endothelial barriers at the blood-vessel interface, or through associations with platelets. Emerging data suggest that neutrophils also have an important role maintaining homeostasis in individual organs and can protect the vascular system. Furthermore, studies using high-dimensional omics technologies have advanced our understanding of neutrophil diversity, and immature neutrophils are receiving new attention in rheumatic diseases including SLE and systemic vasculitis. Developments in genomic, imaging and organoid technologies are beginning to enable more in-depth investigations into the pathophysiology of vascular inflammation in rheumatic diseases, making now a good time to re-examine the full scope of roles of neutrophils in these processes.
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Abstract
Based on the PubMed data, we have been performing a yearly evaluation of the publications related to autoimmune diseases and immunology to ascertain the relative weight of the former in the scientific literature. It is particularly intriguing to observe that despite the numerous new avenues of immune-related mechanisms, such as cancer immunotherapy, the proportion of immunology manuscripts related to autoimmunity continues to increase and has been approaching 20% in 2019. As in the previous 13 years, we performed an arbitrary selection of the peer-reviewed articles published by the major dedicated Journals and discussed the common themes which continue to outnumber peculiarites in autoimmune diseases. The investigated areas included systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), rheumatoid arthritis (RA), psoriatic arthritis (PsA), autoantibodies (autoAbs), and common therapeutic avenues and novel pathogenic mechanisms for autoimmune conditions. Some examples include new pathogenetic evidence which is well represented by IL21 or P2X7 receptor (P2X7R) in SLE or the application of single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq), mass cytometry, bulk RNA sequencing (RNA-seq), and flow cytometry for the analysis of different cellular populations in RA. Cumulatively and of interest to the clinicians, a large number of findings continue to underline the importance of a strict relationship between basic and clinical science to define new pathogenetic and therapeutic developments. The therapeutic pipeline in autoimmunity continues to grow and maintain a constant flow of new molecules, as well illustrated in RA and PsA, and this is most certainly derived from the new basic evidence and the high-throughput tools applied to autoimmune diseases.
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Bain JM, Alonso MF, Childers DS, Walls CA, Mackenzie K, Pradhan A, Lewis LE, Louw J, Avelar GM, Larcombe DE, Netea MG, Gow NAR, Brown GD, Erwig LP, Brown AJP. Immune cells fold and damage fungal hyphae. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2021; 118:e2020484118. [PMID: 33876755 PMCID: PMC8053999 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2020484118] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Innate immunity provides essential protection against life-threatening fungal infections. However, the outcomes of individual skirmishes between immune cells and fungal pathogens are not a foregone conclusion because some pathogens have evolved mechanisms to evade phagocytic recognition, engulfment, and killing. For example, Candida albicans can escape phagocytosis by activating cellular morphogenesis to form lengthy hyphae that are challenging to engulf. Through live imaging of C. albicans-macrophage interactions, we discovered that macrophages can counteract this by folding fungal hyphae. The folding of fungal hyphae is promoted by Dectin-1, β2-integrin, VASP, actin-myosin polymerization, and cell motility. Folding facilitates the complete engulfment of long hyphae in some cases and it inhibits hyphal growth, presumably tipping the balance toward successful fungal clearance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Judith M Bain
- Aberdeen Fungal Group, Institute of Medical Sciences, Foresterhill, AB25 2ZD Aberdeen, United Kingdom
| | - M Fernanda Alonso
- Aberdeen Fungal Group, Institute of Medical Sciences, Foresterhill, AB25 2ZD Aberdeen, United Kingdom
| | - Delma S Childers
- Aberdeen Fungal Group, Institute of Medical Sciences, Foresterhill, AB25 2ZD Aberdeen, United Kingdom
| | - Catriona A Walls
- Aberdeen Fungal Group, Institute of Medical Sciences, Foresterhill, AB25 2ZD Aberdeen, United Kingdom
| | - Kevin Mackenzie
- Microscopy and Histology Facility, Institute of Medical Sciences, Foresterhill, AB25 2ZD Aberdeen, United Kingdom
| | - Arnab Pradhan
- Aberdeen Fungal Group, Institute of Medical Sciences, Foresterhill, AB25 2ZD Aberdeen, United Kingdom
- Medical Research Council Centre for Medical Mycology, University of Exeter, EX4 4QD Exeter, United Kingdom
| | - Leanne E Lewis
- Aberdeen Fungal Group, Institute of Medical Sciences, Foresterhill, AB25 2ZD Aberdeen, United Kingdom
| | - Johanna Louw
- Aberdeen Fungal Group, Institute of Medical Sciences, Foresterhill, AB25 2ZD Aberdeen, United Kingdom
| | - Gabriela M Avelar
- Aberdeen Fungal Group, Institute of Medical Sciences, Foresterhill, AB25 2ZD Aberdeen, United Kingdom
| | - Daniel E Larcombe
- Aberdeen Fungal Group, Institute of Medical Sciences, Foresterhill, AB25 2ZD Aberdeen, United Kingdom
- Medical Research Council Centre for Medical Mycology, University of Exeter, EX4 4QD Exeter, United Kingdom
| | - Mihai G Netea
- Department of Internal Medicine and Radboud Center for Infectious Diseases, Radboud University Medical Center, 6500HB Nijmegen, The Netherlands
- Department for Immunology and Metabolism, Life and Medical Sciences Institute, University of Bonn, 53115 Bonn, Germany
| | - Neil A R Gow
- Aberdeen Fungal Group, Institute of Medical Sciences, Foresterhill, AB25 2ZD Aberdeen, United Kingdom
- Medical Research Council Centre for Medical Mycology, University of Exeter, EX4 4QD Exeter, United Kingdom
| | - Gordon D Brown
- Aberdeen Fungal Group, Institute of Medical Sciences, Foresterhill, AB25 2ZD Aberdeen, United Kingdom
- Medical Research Council Centre for Medical Mycology, University of Exeter, EX4 4QD Exeter, United Kingdom
| | - Lars P Erwig
- Aberdeen Fungal Group, Institute of Medical Sciences, Foresterhill, AB25 2ZD Aberdeen, United Kingdom
- Johnson-Johnson Innovation, Europe, Middle East and Africa Innovation Centre, London W1G 0BG, United Kingdom
| | - Alistair J P Brown
- Aberdeen Fungal Group, Institute of Medical Sciences, Foresterhill, AB25 2ZD Aberdeen, United Kingdom;
- Medical Research Council Centre for Medical Mycology, University of Exeter, EX4 4QD Exeter, United Kingdom
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