December 2023 to March 2024
Author: Emre Bilgin & Rudi Shukla
Arthritis Research & Therapy
Li et al (doi:10.1186/s13075-023-03222-4) investigated PANoptosis, which is a newly identified form of programmed cell death that plays a significant role in autoimmune diseases, in RA synovial tissue datasets. The SPP1 gene was the most significant. Cluster 1 (high expression of Tregs, resting dendritic cells, and resting mast cells) and Cluster 2 (high expression of CD4 memory T cells and follicular helper T cells) were described. By using 37 PANoptosis genes, they generated a scoring algorithm in which a higher score indicates improved responsiveness to drug treatment.
Yang et al (doi:10.1186/s13075-023-03252-y) investigated the potential factors that drive the development of bone morphological features in hip osteoarthritis (HOA) by analyzing synovial tissue and fluid. Genes predominantly related to interleukin 17 (IL-17) signaling pathway and 20 different hub genes (4 of them belong to AP-1) were found. Increased concentrations of CXCL8, MMP9, and VEGF were detected in the synovial fluid of the hypertrophic group of HOA patients, contributing to severe osteophyte formation.
Aggarwal et al (doi:10.1186/s13075-023-03232-2) examined the safety and tolerability of IVIg in patients from the ProDERM study (a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled, multicentre, phase 3 study in patients with active dermatomyositis). During the placebo-controlled phase 113 Treatment-emergent adverse events (TEAEs) were possibly/probably related to treatment in 30/52 patients (57.7%) receiving IVIg and 38 in 11 patients (22.9%) on placebo. Eight patients discontinued IVIg due to adverse events and 8 thromboembolic events (TEEs) occurred in 5 patients due to IVIg. Patients with TEEs exhibited more baseline TEE risk factors than those without TEEs (2.4–15.2-fold higher). Lowering infusion rate reduced the rate of TEEs, and none occurred at the lower IVIg dose.
Ichinose et al (doi: 10.1186/s13075-024-03285-x) investigated the incidence of cancer in patients with SLE and determined the potential association between Calcineurin inhibitors (CNI) use and cancer risk in the Lupus Registry of Nationwide Institutions (LUNA) cohort. In 704 SLE patients with a median age of 44 (IQR 34-55), 38 (5.4%) had cancer, predominantly gynecological cancer. The standardized incidence ratio (SIR) of cancer in the LUNA cohort was 1.08 (95% CI; 0.74–1.43) and no significant cancer risk related to CNI use (multiple regression OR 1.12 (95% CI: 0.42–3.00), risk ratio using standardization 1.18 (95% CI: 0.47–2.16)).
Tanaka et al (doi:10.1186/s13075-024-03289-7) investigated the characteristics and potential biomarkers derived from non-immune cells in the sera of IgG4-related disease (IgG4-RD). The scRNA-seq analysis revealed several distinct clusters consisting of fibroblasts, endothelial cells, ductal cells, and muscle cells. Differential gene expression analysis showed upregulation of COL15A1 in IgG4-RD fibroblasts compared to control subjects. In addition, immune-suppressive therapy in active IgG4-RD patients resulted in decreased serum levels of collagen type XV which hold potential as a disease-monitoring marker.
Emre Bilgin
Emre is a rheumatologist at Hacettepe University where he is doing his MSc on epidemiology. His main interests are rheumatoid arthritis, adult Still’s disease and ANCA-associated vasculitis, aside from his enthusiasm for editorial activities. Emre is a member of the Social Media Sub-Committee.
Rudi Shukla
Rudi Shukla is a clinical research fellow at the Centre for Musculoskeletal Research, University of Manchester, UK and a rheumatology trainee at Health Education England North West, UK. His research interests include outcome measures in inflammatory arthritis, musculoskeletal ultrasound and omics analyses. Rudi is a member of the Social Media Sub-Committee.