Oncostatin M in the Regulation of Connective Tissue Cells and Macrophages in Pulmonary Disease

Spleen derived monocytes regulate pulmonary vascular permeability in Hepatopulmonary syndrome through the OSM-FGF/FGFR1 signaling

Hepatopulmonary syndrome (HPS) is a serious pulmonary complication in the advanced stage of liver disease. The occurrence of pulmonary edema in HPS patients is life-threatening. Increased pulmonary vascular permeability is an important mechanism leading to pulmonary edema, and endothelial glycocalyx (EG) is a barrier that maintains stable vascular permeability. However, in HPS, whether the pulmonary vascular EG changes and its regulatory mechanism are still unclear. Spleen derived monocytes are involved in the pathogenesis of HPS. However, whether they regulate the pulmonary vascular permeability in HPS patients or rats and what is the mechanism is still unclear. Healthy volunteers and HPS patients with splenectomy or not were enrolled in this study. We found that the respiration of HPS patients was significantly improved in response to splenectomy, while the EG degradation and pulmonary edema were aggravated. In addition, HPS patients expressed higher levels of oncostatin M (OSM) and fibroblast growth factor (FGF). Subsequently, the co-culture system of monocytes and human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) was constructed. It was found that monocytes secreted OSM and activated the FGF/FGFR1 signaling pathway in HUVECs. Then, an HPS rat model was constructed by common bile duct ligation (CBDL) for in vivo verification. HPS rats were intravenously injected with OSM recombinant protein and/or TNF-α into the rats via tail vein 30 min before CBDL. The results showed that the respiration of HPS rats was improved after splenectomy, while the degradation of EG in pulmonary vessels and vascular permeability were increased, and pulmonary edema was aggravated. Moreover, the expression of OSM and FGF was upregulated in HPS rats, while both were downregulated after splenectomy. Intravenous injection of exogenous OSM eliminated the effect of splenectomy on FGF and improved EG degradation. It can be seen that during HPS, spleen-derived monocytes secrete OSM to promote pulmonary vascular EG remodeling by activating the FGF/FGFR1 pathway, thereby maintaining stable vascular permeability, and diminishing pulmonary edema. This study provides a promising therapeutic target for the treatment of HPS.

Suppression of gp130 attenuated insulin-mediated signaling and glucose uptake in skeletal muscle cells

The aim of the present study was to investigate the effects of Oncostatin M receptor (OSMR) subunit gp130 knockdown on insulin-stimulated glucose metabolism-related signaling pathways and glucose uptake in skeletal muscle cells. siRNA-mediated gp130 knockdown was conducted in C2C12 muscle cells, and insulin was added and incubated for 1 h. The cells were cultivated to analyze the mRNA levels of gp130, phosphorylation of STAT3, and glucose metabolism-regulated signaling pathways, and OSM levels in the culture medium were analyzed. The phosphorylation of STAT 3 was significantly decreased in gp130-/- cell. The insulin stimulation was significantly increased in both gp130-/- and gp130+/+ and the phosphorylation of IRS-1 Ser 1101 was significantly decreased in gp130-/-. PI3-kinase activity and Akt Thr 308 phosphorylation were significantly decreased in gp130-/-. The insulin-stimulated increase in glucose uptake rate was significantly attenuated in gp130-/-. In the culture medium, OSM levels were significantly lower in gp130+/+compared to gp130-/- cell. In conclusion, the knockdown of gp130 caused a decrease in STAT 3 phosphorylation and resulted in the attenuation of insulin-mediated glucose metabolism signaling in skeletal muscle cells. Thus, an excessive increase in extracellular OSM may induce blunted insulin action in skeletal muscle cells.

Effects of Exercise-Induced Changes in Myokine Expression on the Tumor Microenvironment

In this narrative review, we summarize the direct and indirect effects that myokines have on the tumor microenvironment. We took studies of various cancer types and species into account. Systematic reviews and meta-analyses that matched the search terms were also considered. We searched databases for six months. As a narrative approach was chosen, no data was analyzed or reanalyzed. The goal of this narrative review is to create an overview on the topic to identify research gaps and answer the questions as to whether myokine expression may be relevant in cancer research in regard to the tumor microenvironment. Six commonly known myokines were chosen. We found strong links between the influence exercise has on interleukin-6, oncostatin M, secreted protein acidic and rich in cysteine, and irisin in the context of tumor progression and inhibition via interactions with the tumor microenvironment. It became clear that the effects of myokines on the tumor microenvironment can vary and contribute to disease progression or regression. Interactions among myokines and immune cells must also be considered and require further investigation. To date, no study has shown a clear connection, while multiple studies suggest further investigation of the topic, similar to the effects of exercise on myokine expression.

Oncostatin M/Oncostatin M Receptor Signal Induces Radiation-Induced Heart Fibrosis by Regulating SMAD4 in Fibroblast

PURPOSE

Radiation-induced heart fibrosis (RIHF) is a severe consequence of radiation-induced heart damage (RIHD) leading to impaired cardiac function. The involvement of oncostatin M (OSM) and its receptor (OSMR) in RIHD remains unclear. This study aimed to investigate the specific mechanism of OSM/OSMR in RIHF/RIHD.

METHODS AND MATERIALS

RNA sequencing was performed on heart tissues from a RIHD mouse model. OSM levels were assessed in serum samples obtained from patients receiving thoracic radiation therapy (RT), as well as in RIHF mouse heart tissues and serum using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Fiber activation was evaluated through costimulation of primary cardiac fibroblasts and NIH3T3 cells with RT and OSM, using Western blotting, immunofluorescence, and quantitative Polymerase Chain Reaction (qPCR). Adeno-associated virus serotype 9-mediated overexpression or silencing of OSM specifically in the heart was performed in vivo to assess cardiac fibrosis levels by transthoracic echocardiography and pathologic examination. The regulatory mechanism of OSM on the transcription level of SMAD4 was further explored in vitro using mass spectrometric analysis, chromatin immunoprecipitation-qPCR, and DNA pull-down.

RESULTS

OSM levels were elevated in the serum of patients after thoracic RT as well as in RIHF mouse cardiac endothelial cells and mouse serum. The OSM rate (post-RT/pre-RT) and the heart exposure dose in RT patients showed a positive correlation. Silencing OSMR in RIHF mice reduced fibrosis, while OSMR overexpression increased fibrotic responses. Furthermore, increased OSM promoted histone acetylation (H3K27ac) in the SMAD4 promoter region, influencing SMAD4 transcription and subsequently enhancing fibrotic response.

CONCLUSIONS

The findings demonstrated that OSM/OSMR signaling promotes SMAD4 transcription in cardiac fibroblasts through H3K27 hyperacetylation, thereby promoting radiation-induced cardiac fibrosis and manifestations of RIHD.

Bronchoalveolar cytokine profile differentiates Pulmonary Langerhans cell histiocytosis patients from other smoking-related interstitial lung diseases

BACKGROUND

Pulmonary Langerhans cell histiocytosis (PLCH) is a rare interstitial lung disease (ILD) associated with smoking, whose definitive diagnosis requires the exclusion of other forms of ILD and a compatible surgical lung biopsy. Bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) is commonly proposed for the diagnosis of ILD, including PLCH, but the diagnostic value of this technique is limited. Here, we have analyzed the levels of a panel of cytokines and chemokines in BAL from PLCH patients, in order to identify a distinct immune profile to discriminate PLCH from other smoking related-ILD (SR-ILD), and comparing the results with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) as another disease in which smoking is considered a risk factor.

METHODS

BAL samples were collected from thirty-six patients with different ILD, including seven patients with PLCH, sixteen with SR-ILD and thirteen with IPF. Inflammatory profiles were analyzed using the Human Cytokine Membrane Antibody Array. Principal component analysis (PCA) was performed to reduce dimensionality and protein-protein interaction (PPI) network analysis using STRING 11.5 database were conducted. Finally, Random forest (RF) method was used to build a prediction model.

RESULTS

We have found significant differences (p < 0.05) on thirty-two cytokines/chemokines when comparing BAL from PLCH patients with at least one of the other ILD. Four main groups of similarly regulated cytokines were established, identifying distinct sets of markers for each cluster. Exploratory analysis using PCA (principal component analysis) showed clustering and separation of patients, with the two first components capturing 69.69% of the total variance. Levels of TARC/CCL17, leptin, oncostatin M (OSM) and IP-10/CXCL10 were associated with lung function parameters, showing positive correlation with FVC. Finally, random forest (RF) algorithm demonstrates that PLCH patients can be differentiated from the other ILDs based solely on inflammatory profile (accuracy 96.25%).

CONCLUSIONS

Our results show that patients with PLCH exhibit a distinct BAL immune profile to SR-ILD and IPF. PCA analysis and RF model identify a specific immune profile useful for discriminating PLCH.

Correlation Between Oncostatin M and Acute Ischemic Stroke: A Case-Control Study

BACKGROUND

The expression of oncostatin M (OSM) has been studied in various diseases related to inflammatory response, but its implementation in acute ischemic stroke (AIS) remains to be explored.  Objective: The objective of this study is to assess the correlation between serum OSM expression and various aspects of AIS in a clinical setting.

MATERIALS AND METHOD

A single-centered case-control study was performed in the First Affiliate Hospital of Chongqing Medical University from October 2020 to March 2021. A total of 134 patients were enrolled in the AIS group and 34 healthy individuals were enrolled in the control group. Physical examinations were performed and venous blood samples were collected. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was used to measure serum OSM. Trial of Org 10172 in Acute Stroke Treatment (TOAST) classification, National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) score, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan, and modified Rankin scale (mRS) were used to assess the classification, etiology, severity, and prognosis of the AIS group. Assessments were done to analyze serum OSM expression based on sensitivity, etiology, severity, prognosis, and several risk factors of AIS. Regression models, correlation, and sensitivity tests were performed to explore the correlation of OSM expression with various aspects of AIS.

RESULTS

There was a statistically significant elevation of serum OSM expression in the AIS group (P<0.001). All AIS subgroups showed elevation in OSM level and statistically significant results were reflected in three subgroups. The area under the curve to differentiate AIS patients and control by serum OSM level was 0.747 (P<0.001), with the optimal cut-off value showing sensitivity at 58.82% and specificity at 75.37%. The elevation of serum OSM expression was proportional with severity, not proportional to the volume of infarct, and less elevated in the favorable outcome group. Serum OSM correlation with several risk factors of AIS was statistically significant in age, low-density lipoprotein, non-high-density lipoprotein, prothrombin time, and systolic blood pressure.

CONCLUSION

Serum OSM was expressed differently in correlation with various aspects of AIS. Our findings supported the initial hypothesis that OSM is correlated with various aspects of AIS in humans.

Muscle wasting: emerging pathways and potential drug targets

Muscle wasting is a serious comorbidity associated with many disorders, including cancer, kidney disease, heart failure, and aging. Progressive loss of skeletal muscle mass negatively influences prognosis and survival, and is often accompanied by frailty and poor quality of life. Clinical trials testing therapeutics against muscle wasting have yielded limited success. Some therapies improved muscle mass in patients without appreciable differences in physical performance. This review article discusses emerging pathways that regulate muscle atrophy, including oncostatin M (OSM) and ectodysplasin A2 (EDA2) receptor (EDA2R) signaling, outcomes of recent clinical trials, and potential drug targets for future therapies.

Macrophages as determinants and regulators of fibrosis in systemic sclerosis

SSc is a multiphase autoimmune disease with a well-known triad of clinical manifestations including vasculopathy, inflammation and fibrosis. Although a plethora of drugs has been suggested as potential candidates to halt SSc progression, nothing has proven clinically efficient. In SSc, both innate and adaptive immune systems are abnormally activated fuelling fibrosis of the skin and other vital organs. Macrophages have been implicated in the pathogenesis of SSc and are thought to be a major source of immune dysregulation. Due to their plasticity, macrophages can initiate and sustain chronic inflammation when classically activated while, simultaneously or parallelly, when alternatively activated they are also capable of secreting fibrotic factors. Here, we briefly explain the polarization process of macrophages. Subsequently, we link the activation of macrophages and monocytes to the molecular pathology of SSc, and illustrate the interplay between macrophages and fibroblasts. Finally, we present recent/near-future clinical trials and discuss novel targets related to macrophages/monocytes activation in SSc.

Association of increased oncostatin M with adverse left ventricular remodeling in patients with myocardial infarction

BACKGROUND

The study of laboratory biomarkers that reflect the development of adverse cardiovascular events in the postinfarction period is of current relevance. The aim of the present study was evaluation of oncostatin M (OSM) concentration changes in the early and late stages of myocardial infarction and evaluation of the possibility of its use in prediction of adverse left ventricular (LV) remodeling in patients with myocardial infarction with ST-elevated segment (STEMI).

METHODS

The study involved 31 patients with STEMI admitted in the first 24 hours after the onset of MI and 30 patients with chronic coronary artery disease as a control group. Echocardiographic study was performed on day 3 and in 6 months after STEMI. The serum levels of biomarkers were evaluated on the day of hospital admission and 6 months after MI using multiplex immunoassay.

RESULTS

OSM level increased during the first 24 h after the onset of the disease, with the following decrease in 6 months. OSM concentration at admission had correlated with echocardiography parameters and Nt-proBNP, troponin I, CK-MB levels. Our study has demonstrated association of the increased levels of OSM at the early stages of STEMI with development of the adverse LV remodeling in 6 months after the event.

CONCLUSIONS

Elevation of OSM levels in the first 24 h after STEMI is associated with the development of the adverse LV remodeling in the long-term post-infarction period.

Oncostatin M: Risks and Benefits of a Novel Therapeutic Target for Atherosclerosis

BACKGROUND

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is a leading cause of death worldwide. It is predicted that approximately 23.6 million people will die from CVDs annually by 2030. Therefore, there is a great need for an effective therapeutic approach to combat this disease. The European Cardiovascular Target Discovery (CarTarDis) consortium identified Oncostatin M (OSM) as a potential therapeutic target for atherosclerosis. The benefits of modulating OSM - an interleukin (IL)-6 family cytokine - have since been studied for multiple indications. However, as decades of high attrition rates have stressed, the success of a drug target is determined by the fine balance between benefits and the risk of adverse events. Safety issues should therefore not be overlooked.

OBJECTIVE

In this review, a risk/benefit analysis is performed on OSM inhibition in the context of atherosclerosis treatment. First, OSM signaling characteristics and its role in atherosclerosis are described. Next, an overview of in vitro, in vivo, and clinical findings relating to both the benefits and risks of modulating OSM in major organ systems is provided. Based on OSM's biological function and expression profile as well as drug intervention studies, safety concerns of inhibiting this target have been identified, assessed, and ranked for the target population.

CONCLUSION

While OSM may be of therapeutic value in atherosclerosis, drug development should also focus on de-risking the herein identified major safety concerns: tissue remodeling, angiogenesis, bleeding, anemia, and NMDA- and glutamate-induced neurotoxicity. Close monitoring and/or exclusion of patients with various comorbidities may be required for optimal therapeutic benefit.

Exploring the oncostatin M (OSM) feed-forward signaling of glioblastoma via STAT3 in pan-cancer analysis

Background

Oncostatin M (OSM) has been reported to be a key regulating factor in the process of tumor development. Previous studies have demonstrated both the promotion and inhibition effects of OSM in tumors, therefore inspiring controversies. However, no systematic assessment of OSM across various cancers is available, and the mechanisms behind OSM-related cancer progression remain to be elucidated.

Methods

Based on The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) and Genotype-Tissue Expression (GTEx) databases, we conducted a pan-cancer analysis on OSM to explore its tumor-related functions across cancers as well as its correlations with specific molecules, cells in the tumor microenvironment. Considering the results of pan-cancer analysis, we chose the specific tumor glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) to screen out the OSM-induced signaling pathways and intercellular communications in tumor progression. Wound scratch assay, invasion assay and qRT-PCR were performed to verify the biological effects of OSM on glioblastoma cells.

Results

Higher OSM level was found in most tumor tissues compared with corresponding normal tissues, and the enhanced OSM expression was observed to be strongly related to patients’ poor prognosis in several cancers. Moreover, the expression of OSM was associated with stromal and immune cell infiltration in the tumor microenvironment, and OSM-related immune checkpoint and chemokine co-expression were also observed. Our results suggested that OSM could communicate extensively with the tumor microenvironment. Taking GBM as an example, our study found that two critical signaling pathways in OSM-related tumor progression by KEGG enrichment analysis: Jak-STAT and NF-κB pathways. Single-cell RNA sequencing data analysis of GBM revealed that OSM was mainly secreted by microglia, and cell–cell interaction analysis proved that OSM-OSMR is an important pathway for OSM to stimulate malignant cells. In vitro, OSM treatment could facilitate the migration and invasion of glioblastoma cells, meanwhile promote the proneural-mesenchymal transition. The administration of STAT3 inhibitors effectively suppressed the OSM-mediated biological effects, which proved the key role of STAT3 in OSM signaling.

Conclusion

Taken together, our study provides a comprehensive understanding with regard to the tumor progression under the regulation of OSM. OSM seems to be closely related to chronic inflammation and tumor development in the tumor microenvironment. As an important inflammatory factor in the tumor microenvironment, OSM may serve as a potential immunotherapeutic target for cancer treatment, especially for GBM.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12935-021-02260-9.

Autotaxin levels in serum and bronchoalveolar lavage fluid are associated with inflammatory and fibrotic biomarkers and the clinical outcome in patients with acute respiratory distress syndrome

Background

Autotaxin (ATX) is a secreted glycoprotein that is widely present in extracellular biological fluids and has been implicated in many inflammatory and fibrotic diseases. However, the clinical impact of the release of ATX in patients with acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) remains unclear.

Methods

Serum and bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) levels of ATX, interleukin (IL)-6, IL-8, tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α, matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-7, fibronectin, oncostatin M (OSM), and SPARC (secreted protein acidic and rich in cysteine) were collected from 52 patients with ARDS within 24 h of diagnosis. All cytokines were measured by Magnetic Luminex Assay. BALF albumin (BA) and serum albumin (SA) were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.

Results

Serum ATX, MMP-7, and BALF IL-8 levels were significantly higher in patients who did not survive than in those who survived up to 28 days after diagnosis of ARDS (P < 0.05). BALF and serum ATX levels were correlated with IL-6, IL-8, and MMP-7 levels in BALF and serum, respectively. In addition, BALF ATX was positively correlated with BALF TNF-α, fibronectin, OSM, and SPARC as well as the BA/SA ratio, while serum ATX was correlated with severity of illness based on the SOFA score and PaO₂/FIO₂ ratio. Furthermore, serum ATX was better able to predict 28-day ARDS-related mortality (area under the curve 0.744, P < 0.01) than the SOFA score, APACHE II score, or PaO₂/FIO₂ ratio. Serum ATX independently predicted mortality in a univariate Cox regression model (P < 0.0001).

Conclusion

The serum ATX level is a potential prognostic biomarker in patients with ARDS. BALF ATX is associated with pulmonary biomarkers of inflammation and fibrosis, suggesting a role of ATX in the pathogenesis of ARDS.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s40560-021-00559-3.

Itch intensity in prurigo nodularis is closely related to dermal interleukin-31, oncostatin M, IL-31 receptor alpha and oncostatin M receptor beta

Prurigo nodularis (PN) is a chronic skin dermatosis with hyperkeratotic and intensely pruritic nodules. Managing PN-associated itch is difficult because its aetiology is still unknown. This study aimed to investigate the correlation between itch intensity in PN and the expression of a pruritogenic cytokine interleukin (IL)-31, its receptor complex components IL-31 receptor α (IL-31RA) and oncostatin M receptor β (OSMRβ), and oncostatin M (OSM), which is a ligand of OSMR β, through immunofluorescence staining examination. Itch intensity in PN was closely correlated with the number of dermal IL-31(+) cells (Spearman's r = 0.551, p < 0.05), dermal IL-31RA(+) cells (r = 0.475, p < 0.05) and dermal OSM(+) cells (r = 0.505, p < 0.05). In addition, the number of dermal OSMRβ (+) cells was increased in PN (t test, p < 0.05), despite not being correlated with itch intensity (Spearman's r = 0.375, p > 0.05). Major cellular sources of dermal IL-31 were T cells (27.0% of total IL-31-expressing cells) and macrophages (35.0%), while those of OSM were mainly T cells (49.8%) and mast cells (26.8%). IL-31RA-expressing dermal cells were mostly mast cells (49.3%) and macrophages (36.6%), and OSMRβ was mainly expressed by macrophages (51.8%) in the dermis. These findings indicate that IL-31 (mainly from macrophages and T cells) and OSM (principally from T cells and mast cells) stimulate dermal cells expressing IL-31RA and OSMRβ (e.g. macrophages), which may further promote itch and inflammation in PN. This complex dermal milieu of cell/cytokine/receptor network can be a therapeutic target for PN-associated itch.

Treatment of granuloma annulare and suppression of proinflammatory cytokine activity with tofacitinib

BACKGROUND

Granuloma annulare (GA) is a common cutaneous inflammatory disorder characterized by macrophage accumulation and activation in skin. Its pathogenesis is poorly understood, and there are no effective treatments. The potential health implications of severe GA are unknown.

OBJECTIVE

We sought to better understand GA pathogenesis and evaluate a molecularly targeted treatment approach for this disease.

METHODS

We used single-cell RNA sequencing to study the immunopathogenesis of GA and also evaluated the efficacy of tofacitinib (a Janus kinase 1/3 inhibitor) in 5 patients with severe, long-standing GA in an open-label clinical trial.

RESULTS

Using single-cell RNA sequencing, we found that in GA lesions IFN-γ production by CD4⁺ T cells is upregulated and is associated with inflammatory polarization of macrophages and fibroblasts. In particular, macrophages upregulate oncostatin M, an IL-6 family cytokine, which appears to act on fibroblasts to alter extracellular matrix production, a hallmark of GA. IL-15 and IL-21 production appears to feed back on CD4⁺ T cells to sustain inflammation. Treatment of 5 patients with recalcitrant GA with tofacitinib inhibited IFN-γ and oncostatin M, as well as IL-15 and IL-21, activity and resulted in clinical and histologic disease remission in 3 patients and marked improvement in the other 2. Inhibition of these effects at the molecular level paralleled the clinical improvement. Evidence of systemic inflammation is also present in some patients with severe GA and is mitigated by tofacitinib.

CONCLUSIONS

The Janus kinase-signal transducer and activator of transcription pathway is activated in GA, likely in part through the activity of IFN-γ and oncostatin M, and Janus kinase inhibitors appear to be an effective treatment.

Host Epigenetics in Intracellular Pathogen Infections

Some intracellular pathogens are able to avoid the defense mechanisms contributing to host epigenetic modifications. These changes trigger alterations tothe chromatin structure and on the transcriptional level of genes involved in the pathogenesis of many bacterial diseases. In this way, pathogens manipulate the host cell for their own survival. The better understanding of epigenetic consequences in bacterial infection may open the door for designing new vaccine approaches and therapeutic implications. This article characterizes selected intracellular bacterial pathogens, including Mycobacterium spp., Listeria spp., Chlamydia spp., Mycoplasma spp., Rickettsia spp., Legionella spp. and Yersinia spp., which can modulate and reprogram of defense genes in host innate immune cells.

Increased levels of the soluble oncostatin M receptor (sOSMR) and glycoprotein 130 (sgp130) in systemic sclerosis patients and associations with clinical parameters

OBJECTIVE

The objective of the present study was to evaluate the serum levels of soluble oncostatin M (OSM), OSM receptor (sOSMR) and glycoprotein130 (sgp130) in patients with systemic sclerosis (SSc), and the possible associations and correlations with clinical parameters.

METHODS

Serum levels of OSM, sOSMR and sgp130 were evaluated by ELISA in eighty-four SSc patients and eighty-four healthy volunteers.

RESULTS

SSc patients had significantly elevated levels of sOSMR and sgp130 when compared with healthy individuals (p < 0.0001 and p = 0.025, respectively). Diffuse cutaneous SSc and limited cutaneous SSc patients also presented higher levels of sOSMR when compared with healthy individuals (p = 0.003 and p = 0.0001, respectively). Patients with digital ulcers presented higher levels of sOSMR when compared to those without ulcers (p = 0.034). However, sOSMR levels were lower in patients with esophageal dysfunction than patients without this involvement (p = 0.038). OSM levels were undetectable in serum from SSc patients and healthy volunteers.

CONCLUSION

Serum levels of sOSMR and sgp130 are elevated in patients with systemic sclerosis. In addition, associations were observed with important clinical manifestations, suggesting that sOSMR is a candidate biomarker of this disease. More studies are needed to clarify the functions of IL-6 family cytokines in systemic sclerosis.