The emerging role of noncoding RNAs in systemic lupus erythematosus: new insights into the master regulators of disease pathogenesis

Human immune system: Exploring diversity across individuals and populations

The immune response is an intricate system that involves the complex connection of cellular and molecular components, each with distinct functional specialisations. It has a distinct capacity to adjust and mould the immune response in accordance with specific stimuli, influenced by both genetic and environmental factors. The presence of genetic diversity, particularly across different ethnic and racial groups, significantly contributes to the impact of incidence of diseases, disease susceptibility, autoimmune disorders, and cancer risks in specific regions and certain populations. Environmental factors, including geography and socioeconomic status, further modulate the variety of the immune system responses. These, in turn, affect the susceptibility to infectious diseases and development of autoimmune disorders. Despite the complexity of the relationship, there remains a gap in understanding the specificity of immune indices across races, immune reference ranges among populations, highlighting the need for deeper understanding of immune diversity for personalized approaches in diagnostics and therapeutics. This review systematically organizes these findings, with the goal of emphasizing the potential of targeted interventions to address health disparities and advance translational research, enabling a more comprehensive strategy. This approach promises significant advancements in identifying specific immunological conditions, focusing on personalized interventions, through both genetic and environmental factors.

Mapping integral cell-type-specific interferon-induced gene regulatory networks (GRNs) involved in systemic lupus erythematosus using systems and computational analysis

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a systemic autoimmune disorder characterized by the production of autoantibodies, resulting in inflammation and organ damage. Although extensive research has been conducted on SLE pathogenesis, a comprehensive understanding of its molecular landscape in different cell types has not been achieved. This study uncovers the molecular mechanisms of the disease by thoroughly examining gene regulatory networks within neutrophils, dendritic cells, T cells, and B cells. Firstly, we identified genes and ncRNAs with differential expression in SLE patients compared to controls for different cell types. Furthermore, the derived differentially expressed genes were curated based on immune functions using functional enrichment analysis to create a protein-protein interaction network. Topological network analysis of the formed genes revealed key hub genes associated with each of the cell types. To understand the regulatory mechanism through which these hub genes function in the diseased state, their associations with transcription factors, and non-coding RNAs in different immune cell types were investigated through correlation analysis and regression models. Finally, by integrating these findings, distinct gene regulatory networks were constructed, which provide a novel perspective on the molecular, cellular, and immunological landscapes of SLE. Importantly, we reveal the crucial role of IRF3, IRF7, and STAT1 in neutrophils, dendritic cells, and T cells, where their aberrant upregulation in disease states might enhance the production of type I IFN. Furthermore, we found MYB to be a crucial regulator that might activate T cells toward autoimmune responses in SLE. Similarly, in B-cell lymphocytes, we found FOXO1 to be a key player in autophagy and chemokine regulation. These findings were also validated using single-cell RNASeq analysis using an independent dataset. Genotype variations of these genes were also explored using the GWAS central database to ensure their targetability. These findings indicate that IRF3, IRF7, STAT1, MYB, and FOXO1 are promising targets for therapeutic interventions for SLE.

Systemic Lupus Erythematous: Gene Polymorphisms, Epigenetics, Environmental, Hormonal and Nutritional Factors in the Consideration of Personalized Therapy

Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE) is a chronic illness that can affect many tissues through the production of autoantibodies. A definite etiology has not been conclusively established, but current research points to the influences which include genetic, hormonal and environmental factors. SLE is difficult to treat due to its multifactorial pathogenesis and heterogeneity in clinical manifestations. Current treatment mainly includes anti-malarial medications, glucocorticoids, and biologics, but many patients still struggle in achieving remission. Additionally, there is no definite cure for SLE as of now, which further emphasizes the need for personalized treatment approaches. We analyzed genetic polymorphisms, DNA methylation, and other environmental, hormonal and nutritional factors in the development of SLE. We considered how such factors affect the processes of the disease pathogenesis and may provide insight on targets for potential personalized therapy. In this article, we criticaly reviewed the literature for compelling evidence connecting SLE and specific genes and epigenetic changes. We also explored environmental triggers such as UV exposure, and hormonal influences on their connection to SLE, working toward understanding the disease's complex nature. A critical evaluation is presented on the use of already accredited biologics in SLE that are beneficial to patients, including anifrolumab and belimumab. The reports on many factors that may influence SLE pathophysiology, along with success with recent biologics/targeted therapies, suggest that precision medicine, tailored to individual genetic and environmental profiles, may hold promise for enhancing remission rates and quality of life for SLE patients. The findings contribute to the field by addressing the need for an integrative approach to SLE treatment and offer more evidence for the potential critical benefit of personalized management strategies that may provide long-term solutions in this challenging and complex disease.

Circulatory microRNAs and proinflammatory cytokines as predictors of lupus nephritis

Introduction

Lupus nephritis (LN) is one of the most prevalent severe organ manifestations of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), impacting 70% of SLE patients. MicroRNAs (miRNAs), are small non-coding RNA molecules which influence the expression of approximately one-third of human genes after the process of transcription. Dysregulation of miRNAs was documented in numerous disorders, including SLE and LN. Cytokines are the orchestrators of the immune response in autoimmune diseases. Our study aims to explore the variation in the levels of circulating miRNAs and proinflammatory cytokines as potential diagnostic biomarkers among LN and SLE patients without LN in comparison to controls.

Methods

The study involved 20 LN patients, 20 SLE patients without LN, and 10 healthy controls. Serum levels of IL-12 and IL-21 in addition to miR-124, miR-146a, miR-199a, and miR-21 were assessed using the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) for cytokines and quantitative real-time PCR for miRNAs.

Results

A significant downregulation in miR-124 (p<0.001) and a significant overexpression of miR-146a (p=0.005) were found in SLE patients without LN in comparison to controls. In comparison to SLE patients without LN and the control group, miR-199a, miR-21, and miR-146a were significantly upregulated in LN patients (p=<0.001) with high diagnostic values of these miRNAs in discriminating LN from SLE patients without LN according to Receiver operating curve (ROC) analysis. Logistic regression analysis revealed that only miR-199a is an independent predictor of LN (OR 1.69; 95% CI: 1.1-2.6). The expression of miR-124 was reduced in LN patients in comparison to the control but increased in LN patients in comparison to SLE patients without LN. However, there was no statistically significant difference in either scenario. In comparison to both SLE patients without LN and controls, LN patients exhibited the highest serum levels of IL-12 and IL-21, with no statistically significant difference. Regression analysis revealed that only miR-146a was associated with creatinine levels and SLEDAI score (p= 0.009 and 0.03, respectively), while miR-124 was associated with hemoglobin level (p=0.03).

Conclusion

MiR-199a is an independent predictor for LN and might be used as a diagnostic biomarker for this disease. MiR-146a might play an important role in LN pathophysiology.