Association of NFKB1 and NFKBIA polymorphisms in relation to susceptibility of Behçet's disease

PDE4 Gene Family Variants Are Associated with Response to Apremilast Treatment in Psoriasis

Moderate-to-severe psoriasis (Ps) treatment includes systemic drugs and biological agents. Apremilast, a small molecule primarily metabolized by cytochrome CYP3A4, modulates the immune system by specifically inhibiting phosphodiesterase type 4 (PDE4) isoforms and is currently used for the treatment of Ps and psoriatic arthritis (PsA). Clinical trials and real-world data showed variable efficacy in response among Ps patients underlying the need for personalized therapy. This study implements a candidate-gene and a network-based approach to identify genetic markers associated with apremilast response in forty-nine Greek Ps patients. Our data revealed an association of sixty-four SNPs within or near PDE4 and CYP3A4 genes, four SNPs in ncRNAs ANRIL, LINC00941 and miR4706, which influence the abundance or function of PDE4s, and thirty-three SNPs within fourteen genes whose protein products either interact directly with PDE4 proteins or constitute components of the cAMP signaling pathway which is modulated by PDE4s. Notably, fifty-six of the aforementioned SNPs constitute eQTLs for the respective genes in relevant to psoriasis tissues/cells implying that these variants could be causal. Our analysis provides a number of novel genetic variants that, upon validation in larger cohorts, could be utilized as predictive markers regarding the response of Ps patients to apremilast treatment.

HetIG-PreDiG: A Heterogeneous Integrated Graph Model for Predicting Human Disease Genes based on gene expression

Graph analytical approaches permit identifying novel genes involved in complex diseases, but are limited by (i) inferring structural network similarity of connected gene nodes, ignoring potentially relevant unconnected nodes; (ii) using homogeneous graphs, missing gene-disease associations' complexity; (iii) relying on disease/gene-phenotype associations' similarities, involving highly incomplete data; (iv) using binary classification, with gene-disease edges as positive training samples, and non-associated gene and disease nodes as negative samples that may include currently unknown disease genes; or (v) reporting predicted novel associations without systematically evaluating their accuracy. Addressing these limitations, we develop the Heterogeneous Integrated Graph for Predicting Disease Genes (HetIG-PreDiG) model that includes gene-gene, gene-disease, and gene-tissue associations. We predict novel disease genes using low-dimensional representation of nodes accounting for network structure, and extending beyond network structure using the developed Gene-Disease Prioritization Score (GDPS) reflecting the degree of gene-disease association via gene co-expression data. For negative training samples, we select non-associated gene and disease nodes with lower GDPS that are less likely to be affiliated. We evaluate the developed model's success in predicting novel disease genes by analyzing the prediction probabilities of gene-disease associations. HetIG-PreDiG successfully predicts (Micro-F1 = 0.95) gene-disease associations, outperforming baseline models, and is validated using published literature, thus advancing our understanding of complex genetic diseases.

Paediatric Behçet’s Disease: A Comprehensive Review with an Emphasis on Monogenic Mimics

Behçet’s disease (BD) is a polygenic condition with a complex immunopathogenetic background and challenging diagnostic and therapeutic concepts. Advances in genomic medicine have provided intriguing insights into disease pathogenesis over the last decade, especially into monogenic mimics of BD. Although a rare condition, paediatric BD should be considered an important differential diagnosis, especially in cases with similar phenotypes. Emerging reports of monogenic mimics have indicated the importance of genetic testing, particularly for those with early-onset, atypical features and familial aggregation. Treatment options ought to be evaluated in a multidisciplinary setting, given the complexity and diverse organ involvement. Owing to the rarity of the condition, there is a paucity of paediatric trials; thus, international collaboration is warranted to provide consensus recommendations for the management of children and young people. Herein, we summarise the current knowledge of the clinical presentation, immunopathogenetic associations and disease mechanisms in patients with paediatric BD and BD-related phenotypes, with particular emphasis on recently identified monogenic mimics.

Skin and Mucosal Manifestations in NEMO Syndrome: A Case Series and Literature Review

OBJECTIVES

To characterize the skin and mucosal findings of NEMO syndrome.

METHODS

Retrospective review of clinical characteristics from a cohort of two families with mutations in IKBKG (the NEMO-encoding gene). A literature review identified 86 studies describing 192 patients with IKBKG mutations whose data were also included.

SETTING

Single center with literature review.

PARTICIPANTS

Patients with mutations in IKBKG from our center and reported in the literature.

MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES

Skin and mucosal characteristics of patients with NEMO syndrome.

RESULTS

In addition to ectodermal dysplasia and recurrent infections, male patients had findings of ichthyosis, palmoplantar keratoderma, and inflammatory skin diseases. Both male and female patients had mucocutaneous ulcers and slow-to-heal chronic wounds. In combination with patients from the literature, 59% (85/144) of males had ectodermal dysplasia with anhidrosis (EDA) features, and 8% and 10% (12/144; 6/63) of males and females had dental findings, respectively. 4% (6/144) of males and 32% (20/63) of females had mucocutaneous ulcers. Ichthyosis/xerosis was present in 15% of males (21/144) but only 2% (1/63) females. Similarly, 13% (18/144) of male patients presented with dermatitis while this was reported in only 2% (1/63) of females.

CONCLUSIONS

Our results both confirm and expand upon the known spectrum of mucocutaneous findings in NEMO syndrome. Further genetic studies are needed to correlate specific mutations to clinical and morphologic subtypes.

The influence of the -94 Ins/Del ATTG polymorphism of NFkB on the anti-CCP antibody levels in patients with rheumatoid arthritis

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is an autoimmune disease characterized by an inflammatory process that affects mainly synovial tissue in joints, and by the production of cyclic citrullinated peptides (anti-CCP) antibodies. In the inflammatory process the regulation of the nuclear factor kappa B (NFkB) transcription factor activation is a key point in the production of inflammatory cytokines. On the other hand, polymorphisms in several genes could contribute to the promotion of the inflammatory process observed in RA, and the association of the rs28362491 polymorphism in the NFkB gene with RA has been studied in different population. Therefore, it could be one of the interest targets to analyze their association with RA in a Mexican population.This is a case-control study to determine the influence of rs28362491 in the NFkB gene on RA and on clinical features of this disease, such as anti-CCP antibody levels, Disease Activity Score, and Health Assessment Questionnaire-Disability Index.The genotype of rs28362491 in the NFkB gene was determined in 140 RA patients and 135 healthy controls using the polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism method with the enzyme PflMI. The following clinical variables were also determined: anti-CCP levels, Disease Activity Score, and Spanish version of the Health Assessment Questionnaire Disability-Index.Although no association of the polymorphism as a risk/protection factor with RA was found, the RA patients who carried the Ins/Ins genotype showed higher anti-CCP levels, while those with the Del/Del genotype showed higher Spanish version of the Health Assessment Questionnaire-Disability Index levels, compared to the other genotypes.The NFkB -94 Ins/Del ATTG (rs28362491) polymorphism is, therefore, associated with higher levels of anti-CCP antibodies, though no significant association as a risk or protection factor in RA cases was identified.

Influence of Polymorphism on the NFkB1 Gene (rs28362491) on the Susceptibility to Sarcopenia in the Elderly of the Brazilian Amazon

BACKGROUND

Sarcopenia is a disease characterized by progressive reduction in muscle mass and strength or function. Although it is known that sarcopenia may be associated with environmental factors, studies suggest the identification of genes related to skeletal muscle maintenance that explain the susceptibility to the disease.

OBJECTIVE

To analyze the influence of NFkB1 gene polymorphism on susceptibility to sarcopenia in the elderly.

METHODS

This is a case-control study, which included 219 elderly people, 74 elderly people with sarcopenia, and 145 without sarcopenia. Samples were analyzed for NFkB1 gene polymorphism (rs28362491), genotyped in PCR, and followed by fragment analysis. To avoid misinterpretation due to population substructure, we applied a previously developed set of 61 informative ancestral markers that were genotyped by multiplex PCR. We used logistic regression to identify differences in genotypic frequencies between elderly people with and without sarcopenia.

RESULTS

It was observed that the NFkB1 gene polymorphism presented frequencies of 24%, 50%, and 26% for the genotype DEL/DEL, DEL/INS, and INS/INS, respectively. Furthermore, elderly individuals with the INS/INS genotype had increased chances (p = 0.010; OR:2.943; 95%CI:1.301-6.654) for the development of sarcopenia.

CONCLUSION

The INDEL polymorphism of the NFkB1 gene (rs28362491) may influence the susceptibility to sarcopenia in the elderly in elderly people in the Amazon.

Assessment of genetic polymorphisms within nuclear factor-κB signaling pathway genes in rheumatoid arthritis: Evidence for replication and genetic interaction

OBJECTIVE

This study was performed to replicate the associations of genetic polymorphisms within nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) signaling pathway genes with rheumatoid arthritis (RA), and to further examine genetic interactions in a Chinese population.

METHODS

A total of eleven single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) were genotyped in 594 RA patients and 604 healthy controls.

RESULTS

Genetic association analysis revealed that NFKBIE rs2233434, TNIP1 rs10036748 and BLK rs13277113 were significantly associated with RA, cyclic citrullinated peptide (CCP)-positive RA and rheumatoid factor (RF)-positive RA, and TNFAIP3 rs2230926 was significantly associated with CCP-positive RA. Significant additive interaction was observed between NFKB1 rs28362491 and IKBKE rs12142086 (RERI = 0.76, 95% CI 0.13-1.38; AP = 0.57, 95% CI 0.11-1.03), NFKBIE rs2233434 and BLK rs13277113 (RERI = 1.41, 95% CI 0.88-1.94; AP = 0.85, 95% CI 0.50-1.20), NFKBIL rs2071592 and TNIP1 rs10036748 (RERI = 0.59, 95% CI 0.17-1.02; AP = 0.46, 95% CI 0.05-0.87), UBE2L3 rs5754217 and TNFSF4 rs2205960 (RERI = 0.50, 95% CI 0.16-0.84; AP = 0.57, 95% CI 0.09-1.05). Significant multiplicative interaction was detected between BLK rs13277113 and UBE2L3 rs5754217 (p = 0.02), BLK rs13277113 and TNFSF4 rs2205960 (p = 0.03).

CONCLUSIONS

Our results lent further support to the role of NF-κB signaling pathway in the pathogenesis of RA from a genetic perspective.

Association of -94 ATTG insertion/deletion NFkB1 and c.*126G>A NFkBIA genetic polymorphisms with oxidative and nitrosative stress biomarkers in Brazilian subjects with Parkinson's Disease

Parkinson's disease (PD) is a complex neurodegenerative disorder, resulting dopaminergic neuronal cell death in the substantia nigra. The disease is characterized by major motor impairment, being bradykinesia, rest tremor, rigidity and loss of postural reflexes the most common, while autonomic dysfunctions, sleep disturbances and psychiatric disorders are some of the wide range of non-motor symptoms. Several processes have been identified to be associated with disease development, such as mitochondrial dysfunction, oxidative/nitrosative stress and neuroinflammation. NF-κB is an important transcription factor that regulates several inflammatory elements and pathways, and polymorphisms on NFKB1 and NFKBIA genes can potentially influence redox balance towards a pro-oxidative frame, modulating disease progression. Evaluation of these polymorphisms in the redox status of PD subjects could provide new insights on the pathogenesis of this disorder. The study aimed to test associations of -94 in./del ATTG NFKB1 (rs28362491) and c.*126G > A NFKBIA (rs696) polymorphisms with PD development, and to test the influence of both polymorphisms on oxidative/nitrosative stress (OS/NS) parameters. A total of 110 Brazilian individuals were enrolled, being 55 subjects recruited from University Hospital of Londrina as the PD group, and 55 subjects matched for age, sex and ethnicity composed the healthy control (HC) group. NFkB1 and NFkBIA polymorphisms were genotyped by PCR-RFLP. Lipid hydroperoxides (LOOH), nitric oxide metabolites (NOx), advanced oxidation protein products (AOPP), sulfhydryl groups (SH), total radical trapping antioxidant parameter (TRAP) and paraoxonase-1 activity (PON-1) were assessed. Despite no association of polymorphisms on disease development was observed, in PD subjects the NFKB1 del/del genotype was associated with higher levels of LOOH, while NFkBIA GA and AA genotypes were associated with higher NOx levels, suggesting that NFkB plays a role in PD susceptbility. In conclusion, the prospect of genetic polymorphisms of elements involved in inflammation and OS/NS might be a new approach to unravel PD etiology.

Understanding Behçet's Disease in the Context of Innate Immunity Activation

Behçet´s disease (BD) is a heterogeneous condition consisting of idiopathic systemic vasculitis affecting large and small blood vessels of different types (i.e., arteries, veins, or capillaries). The disease frequently occurs in young adults without gender predilection, differently from several other autoimmune conditions. This challenging illness has recently been proposed by some authors as an example of complex autoinflammatory syndrome. Although much remains unanswered about BD pathogenesis, recent understanding of some aspects of innate immunity have clarified a few issues (and raised others). HLA-B*51 represents the strongest genetic risk factor for BD to date, albeit several other HLA-independent loci have also been associated with the disease. The consistent hyper-reactivity against Streptococcus sanguinis antigens and alterations in oral and gut microbioma suggests that infectious agents may play an important role. Moreover, functional abnormalities of pattern recognition receptors, especially Toll-like receptors in monocytes, have been demonstrated in patients with BD and can be associated with the development of the disease. Neutrophil hyperactivity is one of the most consistent findings in BD pathogenesis, as demonstrated by exacerbated constitutive oxidative burst, chemotaxis and NET formation. However, some studies suggest that the phagocyte-activated status in BD is not primary to the disease itself, but rather restricted to a fraction of patients with severe disease activity, and probably secondary to activating soluble factors carried by serum/plasma from BD patients. Herein we review the state of the art on BD etiopathogenesis with special emphasis on the participation of the innate immune system

Behçet disease (BD) and BD-like clinical phenotypes: NF-κB pathway in mucosal ulcerating diseases

Behçet's disease (BD) is a heterogeneous multi-organ disorder in search of a unified pathophysiological theory and classification. The disease frequently has overlapping features resembling other disease clusters, such as vasculitides, spondyloarthritides and thrombophilias with similar genetic risk variants, namely HLA-B*51, ERAP1, IL-10, IL-23R. Many of the BD manifestations, such as unprovoked recurrent episodes of inflammation and increased expression of IL-1, IL-6 and TNFα, overlap with those of the hereditary monogenic autoinflammatory syndromes, positioning BD at the crossroads between autoimmune and autoinflammatory syndromes. BD-like disease associates with various inborn errors of immunity, including familial Mediterranean fever, conditions related to dysregulated NF-κB activation (eg TNFAIP3, NFKB1, OTULIN, RELA, IKBKG) and either constitutional trisomy 8 or acquired trisomy 8 in myelodysplastic syndromes. We review here the recent advances in the immunopathology of BD, BD-like diseases and the NF-κB pathway suggesting new elements in the elusive BD etiopathogenesis.

Functional variations of NFKB1 and NFKB1A in inflammatory disorders and their implication for therapeutic approaches

Nuclear factor κ-light-chain-enhancer of activated B cells (NF-κB) is a sophisticated transcription factor that is particularly important in the inflammatory response, but it regulates more than 400 individual and dependent genes for parts of the apoptotic, angiogenic, and proliferative, differentiative, and cell adhesion pathways. NF-κB function is directly inhibited by the binding of inhibitor of κB (IκB), and the imbalance between NF-κB and IκB has been linked to the development and progression of cancer and a variety of inflammatory disorders. These observations might broaden the horizon of current knowledge, particularly on the pathogenesis of inflammatory diseases considering the roles of NF-κB and IκB. In this context, we focus this narrative review on a comparative discussion of our findings with other literature regarding variations of NFKB1 and NFKB1A and their association with susceptibility to widespread inflammatory disorders (such as atherosclerosis, morbid obesity, Behçet syndrome, Graves disease, Hashimoto disease) and common cancers (such as gliomas).

Nuclear factor-κB1 and MicroRNA-146a polymorphisms and risk of acute graft versus host disease post allogeneic stem cell transplantation

Acute graft-versus-host disease (aGVHD) is a severe inflammatory complication of haematopoeitic stem cell transplantation. The nuclear factor- Kappa Beta (NF-κB) signaling pathway regulates T cell activation. The NF-κB controls the expression of microRNA-146a (miR-146a) that in turn regulates NF-κB activation through a negative feedback loop. We aim to analyze the association between NF-κB1 encoding p50 (rs28362491, -94 in.ertion/deletion ATTG) and miR-146a (rs2910164, G > C) polymorphisms and risk of aGVHD. Genotyping was performed for 135 HLA-matched donors using polymerase chain reaction- restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP).The incidence of aGVHD grades II-IV was 24/135 (17.8 %). NF-κB1 genotype and cytomegalovirus infection were significantly associated with risk of aGVHD II-IV (p = 0.022, HR = 3.17, 95 % CI:1.18-8.51 and p = 0.048, HR = 2.56, 95 % CI:1.01-6.52, respectively). In multivariate analysis, NF-κB1homozygous deletion/deletion genotype was the only independent risk factor associated with aGVHD II-IV (p = 0.013, HR = 3.50, 95 % CI:1.30-9.44). No significant association could be observed between miR-146a polymorphism and aGVHD. Combined NF-κB1 and miR146a genotype analysis warrants investigation in a larger cohort. Our preliminary data do not support the association between miR146a and aGVHD, but suggest an association between NF-κB1 and risk of aGVHD that may pave the way for the development of a novel targeted therapy if proved in a larger cohort.

NFKB1 and Cancer: Friend or Foe?

Current evidence strongly suggests that aberrant activation of the NF-κB signalling pathway is associated with carcinogenesis. A number of key cellular processes are governed by the effectors of this pathway, including immune responses and apoptosis, both crucial in the development of cancer. Therefore, it is not surprising that dysregulated and chronic NF-κB signalling can have a profound impact on cellular homeostasis. Here we discuss NFKB1 (p105/p50), one of the five subunits of NF-κB, widely implicated in carcinogenesis, in some cases driving cancer progression and in others acting as a tumour-suppressor. The complexity of the role of this subunit lies in the multiple dimeric combination possibilities as well as the different interacting co-factors, which dictate whether gene transcription is activated or repressed, in a cell and organ-specific manner. This review highlights the multiple roles of NFKB1 in the development and progression of different cancers, and the considerations to make when attempting to manipulate NF-κB as a potential cancer therapy.

Passive water collection with the integument: mechanisms and their biomimetic potential

Several mechanisms of water acquisition have evolved in animals living in arid habitats to cope with limited water supply. They enable access to water sources such as rain, dew, thermally facilitated condensation on the skin, fog, or moisture from a damp substrate. This Review describes how a significant number of animals - in excess of 39 species from 24 genera - have acquired the ability to passively collect water with their integument. This ability results from chemical and structural properties of the integument, which, in each species, facilitate one or more of six basic mechanisms: increased surface wettability, increased spreading area, transport of water over relatively large distances, accumulation and storage of collected water, condensation, and utilization of gravity. Details are described for each basic mechanism. The potential for bio-inspired improvement of technical applications has been demonstrated in many cases, in particular for several wetting phenomena, fog collection and passive, directional transport of liquids. Also considered here are potential applications in the fields of water supply, lubrication, heat exchangers, microfluidics and hygiene products. These present opportunities for innovations, not only in product functionality, but also for fabrication processes, where resources and environmental impact can be reduced.

Nuclear Factor-kappaB in Autoimmunity: Man and Mouse

NF-κB (nuclear factor-kappa B) is a transcription complex crucial for host defense mediated by innate and adaptive immunity, where canonical NF-κB signaling, mediated by nuclear translocation of RelA, c-Rel, and p50, is important for immune cell activation, differentiation, and survival. Non-canonical signaling mediated by nuclear translocation of p52 and RelB contributes to lymphocyte maturation and survival and is also crucial for lymphoid organogenesis. We outline NF-κB signaling and regulation, then summarize important molecular contributions of NF-κB to mechanisms of self-tolerance. We relate these mechanisms to autoimmune phenotypes described in what is now a substantial catalog of immune defects conferred by mutations in NF-κB pathways in mouse models. Finally, we describe Mendelian autoimmune syndromes arising from human NF-κB mutations, and speculate on implications for understanding sporadic autoimmune disease.

The Correlation of Increased CRP Levels with NFKB1 and TLR2 Polymorphisms in the Case of Morbid Obesity

Morbid obesity (MO) is associated with an increase in circulating levels of systemic acute phase proteins such as C-reactive protein (CRP). Toll-like receptor is possible candidate for inflammatory responses which is mainly mediated by NFKB1. The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between NFKB1 and Toll-like receptor (TLR) 2 polymorphisms and the risk of MO in a Turkish population in the context of CRP serum levels which may contribute to susceptibility to the disease. We analysed the distribution of NFKB1-94 ins/del ATTG rs28362491 and TLR2 Arg753Gln rs5743708 polymorphisms using PCR-RFLP method and CRP serum levels using ELISA method in 213 MO and 200 healthy controls. The frequency of the ins/ins genotype and ins allele of rs28362491 was significantly higher in the patients compared to control group (P: 0.0309; P: 0.0421, respectively). Additionally, the frequency of GG genotype and G allele of rs5743708 was found to be statistically higher in the patient group (P: 0.0421; P < 0.0001, respectively). In addition, serum CRP levels (>20 mg/l) in MO patients with ins/ins genotype were significantly higher than in patients with del/ins genotype (P: 0.0309). Serum CRP levels were also higher in MO patients with GG genotype and G allele (P: 0.0001). According to combined analysis, the wild type of rs28362491 and rs5743708 polymorphisms (ins/ins/GG genotype) was also significantly higher in the patient group versus the control group when compared with the combined ins/ins/GA and del/ins/GA genotype (P < 0.0001). Therefore, our findings suggest that rs28362491 and rs5743708 polymorphisms were significantly associated with MO disease through acting by modulating serum CRP levels.

Damaging heterozygous mutations in NFKB1 lead to diverse immunologic phenotypes

BACKGROUND

The nuclear factor κ light-chain enhancer of activated B cells (NF-κB) signaling pathway is a key regulator of immune responses. Accordingly, mutations in several NF-κB pathway genes cause immunodeficiency.

OBJECTIVE

We sought to identify the cause of disease in 3 unrelated Finnish kindreds with variable symptoms of immunodeficiency and autoinflammation.

METHODS

We applied genetic linkage analysis and next-generation sequencing and functional analyses of NFKB1 and its mutated alleles.

RESULTS

In all affected subjects we detected novel heterozygous variants in NFKB1, encoding for p50/p105. Symptoms in variant carriers differed depending on the mutation. Patients harboring a p.I553M variant presented with antibody deficiency, infection susceptibility, and multiorgan autoimmunity. Patients with a p.H67R substitution had antibody deficiency and experienced autoinflammatory episodes, including aphthae, gastrointestinal disease, febrile attacks, and small-vessel vasculitis characteristic of Behçet disease. Patients with a p.R157X stop-gain experienced hyperinflammatory responses to surgery and showed enhanced inflammasome activation. In functional analyses the p.R157X variant caused proteasome-dependent degradation of both the truncated and wild-type proteins, leading to a dramatic loss of p50/p105. The p.H67R variant reduced nuclear entry of p50 and showed decreased transcriptional activity in luciferase reporter assays. The p.I553M mutation in turn showed no change in p50 function but exhibited reduced p105 phosphorylation and stability. Affinity purification mass spectrometry also demonstrated that both missense variants led to altered protein-protein interactions.

CONCLUSION

Our findings broaden the scope of phenotypes caused by mutations in NFKB1 and suggest that a subset of autoinflammatory diseases, such as Behçet disease, can be caused by rare monogenic variants in genes of the NF-κB pathway.

Significance of Polymorphism and Expression of miR-146a and NFkB1 Genetic Variants in Patients with Rheumatoid Arthritis

MicroRNA-146a (miR-146a) has been shown to play an important role in the regulation of inflammatory innate immune responses, and found to be differentially expressed in rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Through NF-κB pathway, this molecule is able to stimulate the release of pro-inflammatory cytokines such as TNF-α, IL-1β, and IL-17. It has been also suggested that single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in miRNA sequences may alter miRNA expression and that miR-146a rs2910164 SNP may contribute to RA development. These observations prompted us to analyze the potential associations between the miR-146a-3p (rs2910164, G > C) and NFkB1 (rs28362491, ins/del ATTG) polymorphisms and miR-146a-5p expression in patients’ sera in relation to clinical outcome of the treatment as well as predisposition to RA. Genotyping was performed in 111 patients and 130 healthy individuals while 16 controls and 13 RA patients (before and after three months of therapy with TNF-α inhibitors (TNFi)) were studied for the circulating miR-146a-5p serum expression level. Patients carrying the NFkB1 ins/ins genotype were characterized by worse response to TNFi treatment (p = 0.023). In patients, before TNFi therapy, expression levels of miR-146a-5p were less (0.422 ± 0.171) as compared to those detected after three months of treatment (1.809 ± 0.658, p = 0.033) and observed for healthy controls (5.302 ± 2.112, p = 0.048). Moreover, patients with higher circulating miR-146a-5p levels after three months of TNFi administration were more frequently carrying the rs2910164-C allele (p = 0.032). These results support the hypothesis that miR-146a might be involved in pathogenesis of RA and imply that miR-146a-3p polymorphism may be associated with miR-146a-5p levels in serum after anti-TNF-α treatment.

Targeting Endothelial Adhesion Molecule Transcription for Treatment of Inflammatory Disease: A Proof-of-Concept Study

Targeting the endothelial adhesion molecules that control leukocyte trafficking into a tissue has been explored as a biological therapy for inflammatory diseases. However, these molecules also participate in leukocyte migration for immune surveillance, and inhibiting the physiological level of an adhesion molecule might promote infection or malignancy. We explored the concept of targeting endothelial adhesion molecule transcription during inflammation in a human system. Intercellular adhesion molecule 1 (ICAM-1) mediates leukocyte migration across the retinal endothelium in noninfectious posterior uveitis. We observed an increase in the transcription factor, nuclear factor of kappa light polypeptide gene enhancer in B-cells 1 (NF-κB1), in parallel with ICAM-1, in human retinal endothelial cells treated with tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α), and identified putative binding sites for NF-κB1 within the ICAM-1 regulatory region. We targeted induced NF-κB1 expression in endothelial cells with small interfering (si)RNA. Knockdown of NF-κB1 significantly decreased cell surface expression of ICAM-1 protein induced by TNF-α but did not reduce constitutive ICAM-1 expression. Consistently, NF-κB1 knockdown significantly reduced leukocyte binding to cell monolayers in the presence of TNF-α but did not impact baseline binding. Findings of this proof-of-concept study indicate that induced transcription of endothelial adhesion molecules might be targeted therapeutically for inflammatory disease in humans.

Genetic Variation in the REL Gene Increases Risk of Behcet's Disease in a Chinese Han Population but That of PRKCQ Does Not

Genome-wide association studies (GWAS) and candidate gene studies have identified the REL and PRKCQ genes as risk loci for various autoimmune diseases. The purpose of the present study was to investigate the association of the REL and PRKCQ genes with Behcet’s disease (BD) in a Chinese Han population. A case-control study was conducted on three single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), rs13031237, rs702873, and rs842647 of the REL gene and three SNPs (rs4750316, rs11258747, and rs947474) of the PRKCQ gene using polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) in a total of 623 BD patients and 1,074 healthy controls. Multiple variables were assessed, including age, sex distribution, and extra-ocular findings. In the present study, the frequencies of rs842647 GG genotypes and rs842647 G alleles were significantly higher in patients than in controls and those of the rs842647 AG genotypes were lower in patients than in controls [GG genotype: Bonferroni corrected P-value for gender adjustment (P_c^a) = 0.0074, odds ratio (OR) = 1.63; G allele: P_c^a = 0.0072, OR = 1.57; AG genotype: P_c^a = 0.024, OR = 0.63, respectively]. No statistically significant differences in the frequencies of rs702873, rs13031237, rs4750316, rs11258747, and rs947474 between BD patients and controls were observed. Stratification analysis indicated that the REL rs842647 polymorphism was associated with BD patients with skin lesions. No significant association of the other five SNPs between BD patients with other extra-ocular findings, including genital ulcer, arthritis, and positive pathergy test results was found. The REL rs842647 polymorphism may be a susceptibility factor for BD pathogenesis and skin lesions, which indicate that c-Rel may be involved in the pathogenesis and skin lesions of BD through the NF-κB pathway.

Expression of MicroRNAs in the Eyes of Lewis Rats with Experimental Autoimmune Anterior Uveitis

Purpose. This study aimed to determine the dynamic changes of NF-κB-related microRNAs (miRNAs) and cytokines over the course of experimental autoimmune anterior uveitis (EAAU) and elucidate the possible immunopathogenesis. Materials and Methods. Uveitis was induced in Lewis rats using bovine melanin-associated antigen. The inflammatory activity of the anterior chamber was clinically scored, and leukocytes in the aqueous humor were quantified. RNA was extracted from the iris/ciliary bodies and popliteal lymph nodes to reveal the dynamic changes of eight target miRNAs (miR-155-5p, miR-146a-5p, miR-182-5p, miR-183-5p, miR-147b, miR-21-5p, miR-9-3p, and miR-223-3p) and six cytokine mRNAs (IFN-γ, IL-17, IL-12A, IL-1β, IL-6, and IL-10). In situ hybridization of miRNA and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay quantification of cytokines were performed to confirm the results. Results. Disease activity and leukocyte quantification were maximum at day 15 after immunization. The profiling of miRNA revealed downregulation of miR-146a-5p, miR-155-5p, miR-223-3p, and miR-147b and upregulation of miR-182-5p, miR-183-5p, and miR-9-3p. Cytokine analysis revealed IFN-γ, IL-17, IL-12A, IL-1β, and IL-6 overexpression, with IL-10 downregulation. Conclusions. Dynamic changes of miRNAs were observed over the course of EAAU. By initiating NF-κB signaling, the expressions of downstream cytokines and effector cells from the Th17 and Th1 lineages were sequentially activated, contributing to the disease.