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Roberts AL, Morea A, Amar A, West M, Karrar S, Lehane R, Tombleson P, Cunningham Grahman D, Reynolds JA, Wong CCY, Morris DL, Small KS, Vyse TJ. Haematopoietic stem cell-derived immune cells have reduced X chromosome inactivation skewing in systemic lupus erythematosus. Ann Rheum Dis 2024:ard-2024-225585. [PMID: 38937070 DOI: 10.1136/ard-2024-225585] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/25/2024] [Accepted: 05/29/2024] [Indexed: 06/29/2024]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) shows a marked female bias in prevalence. X chromosome inactivation (XCI) is the mechanism which randomly silences one X chromosome to equalise gene expression between 46, XX females and 46, XY males. Though XCI is expected to result in a random pattern of mosaicism across tissues, some females display a significantly skewed ratio in immune cells, termed XCI-skew. We tested whether XCI was abnormal in females with SLE and hence contributes to sexual dimorphism. METHODS We assayed XCI in whole blood DNA in 181 female SLE cases, 796 female healthy controls and 10 twin pairs discordant for SLE. Using regression modelling and intra-twin comparisons, we assessed the effect of SLE on XCI and combined clinical, cellular and genetic data via a polygenic score to explore underlying mechanisms. RESULTS Accommodating the powerful confounder of age, XCI-skew was reduced in females with SLE compared with controls (p=1.3×10-5), with the greatest effect seen in those with more severe disease. Applying an XCI threshold of >80%, we observed XCI-skew in 6.6% of SLE cases compared with 22% of controls. This difference was not explained by differential white cell counts, medication or genetic susceptibility to SLE. Instead, XCI-skew correlated with a biomarker for type I interferon-regulated gene expression. CONCLUSIONS These results refute current views on XCI-skew in autoimmunity and suggest, in lupus, XCI patterns of immune cells reflect the impact of disease state, specifically interferon signalling, on the haematopoietic stem cells from which they derive.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amy L Roberts
- Twin Research and Genetic Epidemiology, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Alessandro Morea
- Twin Research and Genetic Epidemiology, King's College London, London, UK
- Foundation Institute of Molecular Oncology, IFOM, Milano, Italy
| | - Ariella Amar
- Department of Medical and Molecular Genetics, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Magdalena West
- Department of Medical and Molecular Genetics, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Sarah Karrar
- Department of Medical and Molecular Genetics, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Rhiannon Lehane
- Department of Medical and Molecular Genetics, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Philip Tombleson
- Department of Medical and Molecular Genetics, King's College London, London, UK
| | | | - John A Reynolds
- Institute of Inflammation and Ageing, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK
| | - Chloe C Y Wong
- Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK
| | - David L Morris
- Medical and Molecular Genetics, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Kerrin S Small
- Twin Research and Genetic Epidemiology, King's College London, London, UK
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Tarnoki AD, Tarnoki DL, Speer G, Littvay L, Bata P, Garami Z, Berczi V, Karlinger K. Genetic and environmental influence on thyroid gland volume and thickness of thyroid isthmus: a twin study. ARCHIVES OF ENDOCRINOLOGY AND METABOLISM 2015; 59:487-94. [PMID: 26421673 DOI: 10.1590/2359-3997000000110] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2015] [Accepted: 08/19/2015] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Decreased thyroid volume has been related to increased prevalence of thyroid cancer. SUBJECTS AND METHODS One hundred and fourteen Hungarian adult twin pairs (69 monozygotic, 45 dizygotic) with or without known thyroid disorders underwent thyroid ultrasound. Thickness of the thyroid isthmus was measured at the thickest portion of the gland in the midline using electronic calipers at the time of scanning. Volume of the thyroid lobe was computed according to the following formula: thyroid height*width*depth*correction factor (0.63). RESULTS Age-, sex-, body mass index- and smoking-adjusted heritability of the thickness of thyroid isthmus was 50% (95% confidence interval [CI], 35 to 66%). Neither left nor right thyroid volume showed additive genetic effects, but shared environments were 68% (95% CI, 48 to 80%) and 79% (95% CI, 72 to 87%), respectively. Magnitudes of monozygotic and dizygotic co-twin correlations were not substantially impacted by the correction of covariates of body mass index and smoking. Unshared environmental effects showed a moderate influence on dependent parameters (24-50%). CONCLUSIONS Our analysis support that familial factors are important for thyroid measures in a general twin population. A larger sample size is needed to show whether this is because of common environmental (e.g. intrauterine effects, regional nutrition habits, iodine supply) or genetic effects.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - David Laszlo Tarnoki
- Department of Radiology and Oncotherapy, Semmelweis University, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Gabor Speer
- Department of Medicine, Policlinic of Hospitaller Brothers of St. John of Good, Budapest, Hungary
| | | | - Pal Bata
- Department of Radiology and Oncotherapy, Semmelweis University, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Zsolt Garami
- Houston Methodist DeBakey Heart & Vascular Center,, The Houston Methodist Hospital, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Viktor Berczi
- Department of Radiology and Oncotherapy, Semmelweis University, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Kinga Karlinger
- Department of Radiology and Oncotherapy, Semmelweis University, Budapest, Hungary
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Invernizzi P, Selmi C, Gershwin ME. Update on primary biliary cirrhosis. Dig Liver Dis 2010; 42:401-8. [PMID: 20359968 PMCID: PMC2871061 DOI: 10.1016/j.dld.2010.02.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 53] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/18/2010] [Accepted: 02/24/2010] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Primary biliary cirrhosis is an autoimmune chronic liver disease characterized by progressive bile duct destruction eventually leading to cirrhosis, liver failure, and death. The autoimmune pathogenesis is supported by a plethora of experimental and clinical data, such as the presence of autoreactive T cells and serum autoantibodies. The aetiology remains unknown, although evidence suggests a role for both genetic susceptibility and environmental factors that remain to be determined. In fact, a number of chemicals and infectious agents have been proposed to induce the disease in predisposed individuals. The recent availability of several murine models will significantly help in understanding pathophysiology mechanisms. In this review, we critically summarize the most recent data on the aetiopathogenesis of primary biliary cirrhosis, discuss the latest theories and developments, and suggest directions for future research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pietro Invernizzi
- Division of Internal Medicine and Hepatobiliary Immunopathology Unit, IRCCS Istituto Clinico Humanitas, Rozzano, Italy, Division of Rheumatology, Allergy, and Clinical Immunology, University of California at Davis, Davis, CA
| | - Carlo Selmi
- Division of Internal Medicine and Hepatobiliary Immunopathology Unit, IRCCS Istituto Clinico Humanitas, Rozzano, Italy, Division of Rheumatology, Allergy, and Clinical Immunology, University of California at Davis, Davis, CA, Department of Translational Medicine, Università degli Studi di Milano, Milan, Italy
| | - M. Eric Gershwin
- Division of Rheumatology, Allergy, and Clinical Immunology, University of California at Davis, Davis, CA
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