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Cipriani P, Ruscitti P, Di Cola I, Vomero M, Abbruzzese F, Di Nino E, Ross R, Del Galdo F, Giacomelli R. Fibroblast expression of CD248 may contribute to exacerbation of microvascular damage during systemic sclerosis. Rheumatology (Oxford) 2023; 62:1317-1325. [PMID: 35916713 DOI: 10.1093/rheumatology/keac377] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/19/2022] [Revised: 06/06/2022] [Accepted: 06/06/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVES CD248 is a glycoprotein, highly expressed on pericytes and fibroblasts (FBs), that is implicated in the fibrotic process. During angiogenesis, CD248 can promote vessel regression, binding multimerin-2 (MMRN-2). Thus, we investigated the expression of MMRN-2 in systemic sclerosis (SSc)-skin and of CD248 in isolated SSc-FBs. The anti-angiogenic property of CD248+ SSc-FBs was evaluated by co-culturing these cells with healthy control endothelial cells (HC-ECs). The apoptotic effect of CD248 on HC-ECs was evaluated. Finally, the ability of CD248 to prevent activation of VEGF receptor 2 (VEGFR2) was assessed. METHODS By IF, MMRN-2 was investigated in SSc-skin and CD248 in SSc FBs. The anti-angiogenic property of CD248+ SSc-FBs was evaluated by HC-ECs/SSc-FBs co-cultures. Lentiviral-induced CD248 short-hairpin RNA delivery was employed for loss-of-function studies in SSc-FBs. HC-ECs were cultured in the presence of CD248 to assess apoptosis by IF and VEGFR2 phosphorylation by western blot. RESULTS MMRN-2 expression was increased in skin SSc-ECs, whereas CD248 expression was increased in SSc-FBs. Functionally, CD248+-SSc-FBs suppressed angiogenesis in the organotypic model, as assessed by the reduction in total tube length of HC-ECs. This anti-angiogenetic behaviour was reversed by CD248 silencing. Furthermore, the presence of CD248 promoted the apoptosis of HC-ECs. Finally, CD248 prevented activation of VEGFR2 by reducing its phosphorylation after VEGF stimulation. CONCLUSION CD248 was anti-angiogenic in vitro due to a reduction in tube formation and to induction of apoptosis of ECs. Increased expression of CD248 in SSc could contribute to the microvascular rarefaction observed at the tissue level in SSc. Our results suggest a pathogenic role for CD248-MMRN-2 in SSc.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paola Cipriani
- Department of Biotechnological and Applied Clinical Sciences, University of L'Aquila, L'Aquila
| | - Piero Ruscitti
- Department of Biotechnological and Applied Clinical Sciences, University of L'Aquila, L'Aquila
| | - Ilenia Di Cola
- Department of Biotechnological and Applied Clinical Sciences, University of L'Aquila, L'Aquila
| | - Marta Vomero
- Rheumatology, Immunology, and Clinical Medicine Research Unit, Department of Medicine, Campus Bio-Medico University of Rome.,Immunorheumatology Unit, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario Campus Bio-Medico
| | - Franca Abbruzzese
- Department of Engineering, Università Campus Bio-Medico di Roma, Rome, Italy
| | - Elena Di Nino
- Department of Biotechnological and Applied Clinical Sciences, University of L'Aquila, L'Aquila
| | - Rebecca Ross
- Leeds Institute of Rheumatic and Musculoskeletal Medicine, University of Leeds.,NIHR Leeds Biomedical Research Centre, Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust, Leeds, UK
| | - Francesco Del Galdo
- Leeds Institute of Rheumatic and Musculoskeletal Medicine, University of Leeds
| | - Roberto Giacomelli
- Rheumatology, Immunology, and Clinical Medicine Research Unit, Department of Medicine, Campus Bio-Medico University of Rome.,Immunorheumatology Unit, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario Campus Bio-Medico
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Ruscitti P, Ursini F, Berardicurti O, Masedu F, Bozzalla Cassione E, Naldi S, Di Cola I, Di Muzio C, De Stefano L, Di Nino E, Navarini L, Vomero M, Bugatti S, Valenti M, Mariani E, Iagnocco A, Montecucco C, Giacomelli R, Cipriani P. Cytokine profile, ferritin and multi-visceral involvement characterize macrophage activation syndrome during adult-onset Still's disease. Rheumatology (Oxford) 2022; 62:321-329. [PMID: 35438139 DOI: 10.1093/rheumatology/keac247] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/07/2022] [Revised: 04/01/2022] [Accepted: 04/01/2022] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVES To multidimensionally characterize macrophage activation syndrome (MAS) complicating adult-onset Still's disease (AOSD) considering cytokine profile, inflammatory markers and multi-visceral involvement of the disease. To perform a high-dimensional phenotypic analysis of circulating immune cells in AOSD patients with and without MAS. To assess interferon (IFN)-related pathways in AOSD synovial tissues by a bulky RNA sequencing. METHODS Clinical and biologic data were collected and compared in AOSD patients with and without MAS. Sera biomolecules were analysed by Luminex multiplexing technology. Mass cytometry (CyTOF) was used to characterize circulating immune cells. A bulky RNA sequencing was performed in AOSD synovial tissues. RESULTS Forty consecutive AOSD patients were assessed, 14 complicated with MAS. Paralleling with increases of systemic score and ferritin, MAS patients showed higher levels of IL-1α, IL-1β, IL-1Ra, IL-2Ra, IL-6, IL-10, IL-17A, IFN-γ, G-CSF, MCP-1, MIP-1α and SCF. Combining the discriminatory ability of these data in identifying MAS, the best model was composed by systemic score, ferritin, IFN-γ and IL-10. By CyTOF analysis, MAS patients showed an increase of circulating 'classical monocytes' and a reduction of total NK cells. Our assessment showed 3477 IFN-related genes (IRGs) were differently expressed in AOSD synovial tissues. CONCLUSIONS A multidimensional characterization of AOSD patients suggested that IFN-γ, IL-10, ferritin and systemic score discriminated the occurrence of cytokine storm syndrome associated with MAS. The inflammatory milieu of AOSD and MAS may be related to a signature of circulating immune cells. Finally, our results about IRGs reinforced the role of IFN-γ in these patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Piero Ruscitti
- Department of Biotechnological and Applied Clinical Sciences, University of L'Aquila, L'Aquila
| | - Francesco Ursini
- Rheumatology Unit, IRCCS Istituto Ortopedico Rizzoli.,Department of Biomedical and Neuromotor Sciences, Alma Mater Studiorum University of Bologna, Bologna
| | - Onorina Berardicurti
- Department of Biotechnological and Applied Clinical Sciences, University of L'Aquila, L'Aquila
| | - Francesco Masedu
- Department of Biotechnological and Applied Clinical Sciences, University of L'Aquila, L'Aquila.,Academy of Sciences of Abruzzo Region, Abruzzo
| | | | - Susanna Naldi
- Rheumatology Unit, IRCCS Istituto Ortopedico Rizzoli.,Department of Biomedical and Neuromotor Sciences, Alma Mater Studiorum University of Bologna, Bologna
| | - Ilenia Di Cola
- Department of Biotechnological and Applied Clinical Sciences, University of L'Aquila, L'Aquila
| | - Claudia Di Muzio
- Department of Biotechnological and Applied Clinical Sciences, University of L'Aquila, L'Aquila
| | - Ludovico De Stefano
- Rheumatology Department, Fondazione IRCCS Policlinico San Matteo, University of Pavia, Pavia
| | - Elena Di Nino
- Department of Biotechnological and Applied Clinical Sciences, University of L'Aquila, L'Aquila
| | - Luca Navarini
- Rheumatology and Immunology Unit, Department of Medicine, University of Rome Campus Biomedico, Rome
| | - Marta Vomero
- Rheumatology and Immunology Unit, Department of Medicine, University of Rome Campus Biomedico, Rome
| | - Serena Bugatti
- Rheumatology Department, Fondazione IRCCS Policlinico San Matteo, University of Pavia, Pavia
| | - Marco Valenti
- Department of Biotechnological and Applied Clinical Sciences, University of L'Aquila, L'Aquila
| | - Erminia Mariani
- Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences, Alma Mater Studiorum University of Bologna.,Laboratory of Immunorheumatology and Tissue Regeneration, Istituto di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico (IRCCS) Istituto Ortopedico Rizzoli, Bologna
| | - Annamaria Iagnocco
- Academic Rheumatology Centre, Ospedale Mauriziano - Dipartimento Scienze Cliniche e Biologiche, Università degli Studi di Torino, Turin, Italy
| | | | - Roberto Giacomelli
- Rheumatology and Immunology Unit, Department of Medicine, University of Rome Campus Biomedico, Rome
| | - Paola Cipriani
- Department of Biotechnological and Applied Clinical Sciences, University of L'Aquila, L'Aquila
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Ruscitti P, Berardicurti O, Di Cola I, Di Muzio C, Di Nino E, Giacomelli R, Cipriani P. The hyper-expression of NLRP4 characterizes the occurrence of macrophage activation syndrome assessing STING pathway in adult-onset Still's disease. Clin Exp Immunol 2022; 208:95-102. [PMID: 35467709 PMCID: PMC9113323 DOI: 10.1093/cei/uxac014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2021] [Revised: 01/21/2022] [Accepted: 01/27/2022] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
To assess stimulator of interferon genes (STING) pathway in patients with adult-onset Still's disease (AOSD) who were complicated or not by macrophage activation syndrome (MAS), evaluating peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs), and synovial tissues. The relative mRNA expression of key molecules of the STING pathway (i.e. CGAS, NLRP4, PKDC, STING1, XRCC5, and XRCC6) and interferon (IFN)-γ was assessed in PBMCs obtained from patients with AOSD, who were complicated or not by MAS, and healthy controls (HCs). A bulky RNA sequencing was performed in synovial tissues from two patients with AOSD. Finally, the ability of heavy ferritin subunit (FeH) to induce the expression of NLRP4 was evaluated in cultured macrophages. Twenty patients with AOSD were analysed. Out of them, seven patients were complicated by MAS. Assessing mRNA relative expression in PBMCs, STING1, NLRP4, XRCC6, and IFN-γ were significantly expressed in AOSD than HCs. The mRNA relative expression of CGAS, PKDC, and XRCC5 did not differ between patients and HCs. Furthermore, NLRP4 and IFN-γ resulted to be significantly increased in patients with AOSD complicated by MAS than others. By RNA-sequencing analysis, we observed that Nlrp4 gene was significantly up-regulated in patients with AOSD. Following the stimulation with FeH, an increased expression of NLRP4 was observed in cultured macrophages. In conclusion, an increased expression of some key molecules of STING pathway characterized patients with AOSD. In addition, our results suggested that a hyper-activity of NLRP4 may be observed in patients with MAS. Furthermore, FeH increased the expression of NLRP4 in cultured macrophages.
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Affiliation(s)
- Piero Ruscitti
- Department of Biotechnological and Applied Clinical Sciences, University of L’Aquila, L’Aquila, Italy
| | - Onorina Berardicurti
- Department of Biotechnological and Applied Clinical Sciences, University of L’Aquila, L’Aquila, Italy
| | - Ilenia Di Cola
- Department of Biotechnological and Applied Clinical Sciences, University of L’Aquila, L’Aquila, Italy
| | - Claudia Di Muzio
- Department of Biotechnological and Applied Clinical Sciences, University of L’Aquila, L’Aquila, Italy
| | - Elena Di Nino
- Department of Biotechnological and Applied Clinical Sciences, University of L’Aquila, L’Aquila, Italy
| | - Roberto Giacomelli
- Rheumatology and Immunology Unit, Department of Medicine, University of Rome Campus Biomedico, Rome, Italy
| | - Paola Cipriani
- Department of Biotechnological and Applied Clinical Sciences, University of L’Aquila, L’Aquila, Italy
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