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Zheng L, Chen S, Wu Q, Li X, Zeng W, Dong F, An W, Qin F, Lei L, Zhao C. Tree shrews as a new animal model for systemic sclerosis research. Front Immunol 2024; 15:1315198. [PMID: 38343538 PMCID: PMC10853407 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2024.1315198] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/10/2023] [Accepted: 01/11/2024] [Indexed: 02/15/2024] Open
Abstract
Objective Systemic sclerosis (SSc) is a chronic systemic disease characterized by immune dysregulation and fibrosis for which there is no effective treatment. Animal models are crucial for advancing SSc research. Tree shrews are genetically, anatomically, and immunologically closer to humans than rodents. Thus, the tree shrew model provides a unique opportunity for translational research in SSc. Methods In this study, a SSc tree shrew model was constructed by subcutaneous injection of different doses of bleomycin (BLM) for 21 days. We assessed the degree of inflammation and fibrosis in the skin and internal organs, and antibodies in serum. Furthermore, RNA sequencing and a series of bioinformatics analyses were performed to analyze the transcriptome changes, hub genes and immune infiltration in the skin tissues of BLM induced SSc tree shrew models. Multiple sequence alignment was utilized to analyze the conservation of selected target genes across multiple species. Results Subcutaneous injection of BLM successfully induced a SSc model in tree shrew. This model exhibited inflammation and fibrosis in skin and lung, and some developed esophageal fibrosis and secrum autoantibodies including antinuclear antibodies and anti-scleroderma-70 antibody. Using RNA sequencing, we compiled skin transcriptome profiles in SSc tree shrew models. 90 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified, which were mainly enriched in the PPAR signaling pathway, tyrosine metabolic pathway, p53 signaling pathway, ECM receptor interaction and glutathione metabolism, all of which are closely associated with SSc. Immune infiltration analysis identified 20 different types of immune cells infiltrating the skin of the BLM-induced SSc tree shrew models and correlations between those immune cells. By constructing a protein-protein interaction (PPI) network, we identified 10 hub genes that were significantly highly expressed in the skin of the SSc models compared to controls. Furthermore, these genes were confirmed to be highly conserved in tree shrews, humans and mice. Conclusion This study for the first time comfirmed that tree shrew model of SSc can be used as a novel and promising experimental animal model to study the pathogenesis and translational research in SSc.
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Affiliation(s)
- Leting Zheng
- Department of Rheumatology and Clinical Immunology, the First Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, China
| | - Shuyuan Chen
- Department of Rheumatology and Clinical Immunology, the First Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, China
| | - Qiulin Wu
- Department of General Surgery, the Second Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, China
| | - Xi Li
- Key Laboratory of Clinical Laboratory Medicine of Guangxi Department of Education, Department of Clinical Laboratory, the First Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, Guangxi, China
| | - Wen Zeng
- Department of Rheumatology and Clinical Immunology, the First Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, China
| | - Fei Dong
- Department of Rheumatology and Clinical Immunology, the First Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, China
| | - Weiwei An
- Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine Department, the First Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, Guangxi, China
| | - Fang Qin
- Department of Rheumatology and Clinical Immunology, the First Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, China
| | - Ling Lei
- Department of Rheumatology and Clinical Immunology, the First Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, China
| | - Cheng Zhao
- Department of Rheumatology and Clinical Immunology, the First Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, China
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Yayla ME, Yurteri EU, Torgutalp M, Eroğlu DŞ, Sezer S, Dinçer ABK, Gülöksüz EGA, Yüksel ML, Yılmaz R, Ateş A, Turgay TM, Kınıklı G. Causes of severe infections in patients with systemic sclerosis and associated factors. Turk J Med Sci 2022; 52:1881-1888. [PMID: 36945989 PMCID: PMC10390190 DOI: 10.55730/1300-0144.5535] [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: 12/29/2021] [Accepted: 10/10/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Systemic sclerosis (SSc) is a chronic systemic disease characterized by vascular damage, autoimmunity, and fibrosis in the skin and internal organs. In this study, we tried to determine the causes of severe infection in patients with SSc and to reveal the factors associated with severe infection. METHODS We retrospectively examined 214 SSc patients between January 2010 and August 2020. Forty-seven patients with at least one severe infection and 167 patients without severe infection were compared. RESULTS A total of 76 episodes of severe infections were detected in 47 (22%) patients. Common infections included pneumonia, infected digital ulcer, urinary tract infections, and osteomyelitis. Female patients had a higher frequency in the group without severe infection (91.6% vs. 80.9%, p = 0.035). Patients with severe infections had a higher frequency of digital ulcers (p < 0.001), cardiac (p = 0.002), and GIS involvement (p < 0.001). In multivariable analysis, digital ulcer presence (OR: 2.849 [1.356-5.898] (p = 0.006) and cardiac involvement (OR: 2.801 [1.248-6.285]) were associated with severe infection. Of the patients with severe infections, 34% had recurrent severe infections. There was no difference in demographic and clinical characteristics between patients with recurrent and nonrecurrent severe infections. DISCUSSION The presence of digital ulcer and cardiac involvement seem to be associated with a severe infection in patients with systemic sclerosis. In patients with cardiac involvement and digital ulcers, more careful attention may be required for the development of severe infections.
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Affiliation(s)
- Müçteba Enes Yayla
- Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Rheumatology, , Ankara Training and Research Hospital, Ankara, Turkey ; Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Rheumatology, Faculty of Medicine, Ankara University, Ankara, Turkey
| | - Emine Uslu Yurteri
- Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Rheumatology, Faculty of Medicine, Ankara University, Ankara, Turkey
| | - Murat Torgutalp
- Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Rheumatology, Faculty of Medicine, Ankara University, Ankara, Turkey
| | - Didem Şahin Eroğlu
- Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Rheumatology, Faculty of Medicine, Ankara University, Ankara, Turkey
| | - Serdar Sezer
- Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Rheumatology, Faculty of Medicine, Ankara University, Ankara, Turkey
| | - Ayşe Bahar Keleşoğlu Dinçer
- Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Rheumatology, Faculty of Medicine, Ankara University, Ankara, Turkey
| | - Emine Gözde Aydemir Gülöksüz
- Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Rheumatology, Faculty of Medicine, Ankara University, Ankara, Turkey
| | - Mehmet Levent Yüksel
- Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Rheumatology, Faculty of Medicine, Ankara University, Ankara, Turkey
| | - Recep Yılmaz
- Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Rheumatology, Faculty of Medicine, Ankara University, Ankara, Turkey
| | - Aşkın Ateş
- Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Rheumatology, Faculty of Medicine, Ankara University, Ankara, Turkey
| | - Tahsin Murat Turgay
- Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Rheumatology, Faculty of Medicine, Ankara University, Ankara, Turkey
| | - Gülay Kınıklı
- Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Rheumatology, Faculty of Medicine, Ankara University, Ankara, Turkey
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