Variants of Novel Immunomodulatory Fc Receptor Like 5 Gene Are Associated With Multiple Sclerosis Susceptibility in the Polish Population

Gene Expression and Alternative Splicing Analysis in a Large-Scale Multiple Sclerosis Study

Multiple Sclerosis (MS) is an autoimmune neurodegenerative disease affecting approximately 3 million people globally. Despite rigorous research on MS, aspects of its development and progression remain unclear. We utilized a publicly available RNA-seq dataset (GSE138614) consisting of the post-mortem white matter tissues of five donors without any neurological disorders and ten MS patient donors. We investigated gene expression levels correlated with tissue inflammation and alternative splicing to identify possible pathological isoforms in MS tissues. We identified RNA-binding motifs, differentially expressed RNA-binding proteins, and single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) to unravel possible mechanisms of alternative splicing. Genes with expression changes that were positively correlated with tissue inflammation were enriched in the immune system and receptor interaction pathways. Genes showing a negative correlation were enriched in nervous system development and in metabolic pathways. A comparison of normal-appearing white matter (NAWM) and active or chronic active lesions within the same donors identified genes playing roles in immunity, white matter injury repair, and remyelination. We identified exon skipping events and spontaneous SNPs in membrane-associated ring-CH-type finger-1 (MARCHF1), UDP glycosyltransferase-8 (UGT8), and other genes important in autoimmunity and neurodegeneration. Overall, we identified unique genes, pathways, and novel splicing events that can be further investigated as potential novel drug targets for MS treatment.

Polymorphisms of B-lymphocyte-associated genes CD20 and FCRL5 are associated with susceptibility to autoimmune thyroid diseases

BACKGROUND

Recent studies have confirmed that B cell-related genes CD20 and FCRL5 may be involved in the pathogenesis of autoimmune thyroid diseases (AITDs). However, there is a lack of comprehensive genetic susceptibility studies on this subject.

OBJECTIVE

The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship of CD20 and FCRL5 gene polymorphisms with AITD susceptibility.

METHODS

A total of 1740 subjects were recruited from the Chinese Han population. They consisted of 1007 patients with AITD and 633 healthy controls. Multiplex polymerase chain reaction (PCR) combined with high-throughput sequencing was used to genotype four screened single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs). The four SNPs were rs7126354 of CD20 and rs6667109, rs6692977 and rs3811035 of FCRL5.

RESULTS

The minor allele frequency of rs7126354 was significantly lower in patients with AITD and Hashimoto's thyroiditis (HT) than in healthy controls (P = 0.031; P = 0.017). The minor allele frequency of rs6667109 was significantly higher in the Graves' disease (GD) subgroup than in the healthy control group (P = 0.029). In the Log-additive model, rs6667109 in the GD group also showed an increased risk of onset disease.

CONCLUSIONS

This study presents robust evidence of a genetic association of CD20 and FCRL5 with AITDs. The C allele of CD20 rs7126354 is a protective factor for HT susceptibility. The A allele of FCRL5 rs6667109 is a risk factor for the susceptibility to GD.

Gene expression and alternative splicing analysis in a large-scale Multiple Sclerosis study

Background

Multiple Sclerosis (MS) is an autoimmune neurodegenerative disease affecting approximately 3 million people globally. Despite rigorous research on MS, aspects of its development and progression remain unclear. Understanding molecular mechanisms underlying MS is crucial to providing insights into disease pathways, identifying potential biomarkers for early diagnosis, and revealing novel therapeutic targets for improved patient outcomes.

Methods

We utilized publicly available RNA-seq data (GSE138614) from post-mortem white matter tissues of five donors without any neurological disorder and ten MS patient donors. This data was interrogated for differential gene expression, alternative splicing and single nucleotide variants as well as for functional enrichments in the resulting datasets.

Results

A comparison of non-MS white matter (WM) to MS samples yielded differentially expressed genes involved in adaptive immune response, cell communication, and developmental processes. Genes with expression changes positively correlated with tissue inflammation were enriched in the immune system and receptor interaction pathways. Negatively correlated genes were enriched in neurogenesis, nervous system development, and metabolic pathways. Alternatively spliced transcripts between WM and MS lesions included genes that play roles in neurogenesis, myelination, and oligodendrocyte differentiation, such as brain enriched myelin associated protein (BCAS1), discs large MAGUK scaffold protein 1 (DLG1), KH domain containing RNA binding (QKI), and myelin basic protein (MBP). Our approach to comparing normal appearing WM (NAWM) and active lesion (AL) from one donor and NAWM and chronic active (CA) tissues from two donors, showed that different IgH and IgK gene subfamilies were differentially expressed. We also identified pathways involved in white matter injury repair and remyelination in these tissues. Differentially spliced genes between these lesions were involved in axon and dendrite structure stability. We also identified exon skipping events and spontaneous single nucleotide polymorphisms in membrane associated ring-CH-type finger 1 (MARCHF1), UDP glycosyltransferase 8 (UGT8), and other genes important in autoimmunity and neurodegeneration.

Conclusion

Overall, we identified unique genes, pathways, and novel splicing events affecting disease progression that can be further investigated as potential novel drug targets for MS treatment.

Multiple sclerosis susceptibility may be associated with the coding rs20541 (R130Q) IL-13 gene polymorphism in the Polish population

Some of the multiple autoimmune diseases have been already associated with IL-13 single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs). However, there are only few studies regarding multiple sclerosis (MS) risk and IL-13 rs20541 (R130Q) polymorphism, and their results are conflicting. Therefore, the aim of our study was to investigate the frequency of the IL-13 gene rs20541 (R130Q) polymorphism in MS participants and its association with MS clinical subsets in the Polish population. We conducted a case‒control study including 94 relapsing remitting MS patients and 160 healthy volunteers. We genotyped the rs20541 polymorphism in the IL-13 gene and analysed the genotype frequency, age of MS onset and clinical condition (EDSS values) of the MS participants. Fisher's exact test was used for statistical analysis, and the log-linear model was applied to test for associations. Allele A, as well as the AA and AG genotypes, was observed to be significantly more common in the MS subjects. The OR (odds ratio) for the A compared to the G allele was 1.71 (1.14-2.56), whereas OR 2.33 (0.86-6.26) and OR 1.92 (1.11-3.30) were obtained for the AA and AG genotypes, respectively. We did not identify any significant associations of the studied IL-13 SNP with the investigated clinical parameters of the MS participants. Our results suggest that the rs20541 polymorphism in the IL-13 gene may play an important role in MS predisposition but not in investigated clinical parameters in MS subjects of the Polish population.

Mass cytometry identifies characteristic immune cell subsets in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid from interstitial lung diseases

Immune cells have been implicated in interstitial lung diseases (ILDs), although their phenotypes and effector mechanisms remain poorly understood. To better understand these cells, we conducted an exploratory mass cytometry analysis of immune cell subsets in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) from patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF), connective-tissue disease (CTD)-related ILD, and sarcoidosis, using two panels including 64 markers. Among myeloid cells, we observed the expansion of CD14⁺ CD36^hi CD84^hiCCR2^- monocyte populations in IPF. These CD14⁺ CD36^hi CD84^hi CCR2^- subsets were also increased in ILDs with a progressive phenotype, particularly in a case of acute exacerbation (AEx) of IPF. Analysis of B cells revealed the presence of cells at various stages of differentiation in BALF, with a higher percentage of IgG memory B cells in CTD-ILDs and a trend toward more FCRL5⁺ B cells. These FCRL5⁺ B cells were also present in the patient with AEx-IPF and sarcoidosis with advanced lung lesions. Among T cells, we found increased levels of IL-2R⁺ TIGIT⁺ LAG3⁺ CD4⁺ T cells in IPF, increased levels of CXCR3⁺ CD226⁺ CD4⁺ T cells in sarcoidosis, and increased levels of PD1⁺ TIGIT⁺ CD57⁺ CD8⁺ T cells in CTD-ILDs. Together, these findings underscore the diverse immunopathogenesis of ILDs.