Project description:Association of juvenile spondyloarthritis (jSpA) with the HLA-B27 genotype is well established, but there is little knowledge of other genetic factors with a role in disease development. The aim of the present study was to identify and confirm gene signatures and novel biomarkers in various cohorts of untreated and treated patients diagnosed with jSpA and other forms of juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA). DNA microarray gene expression was performed in 11 patients with jSpA and in four healthy controls, along with bioinformatics analysis of retrieved data (DAVID, GSEA, IPA).
Project description:Association of juvenile spondyloarthritis (jSpA) with the HLA-B27 genotype is well established, but there is little knowledge of other genetic factors with a role in disease development. The aim of the present study was to identify and confirm gene signatures and novel biomarkers in various cohorts of untreated and treated patients diagnosed with jSpA and other forms of juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA). DNA microarray gene expression was performed in 11 patients with jSpA and in four healthy controls, along with bioinformatics analysis of retrieved data (DAVID, GSEA, IPA). Total RNA was isolated from whole blood of 45 children with known HLA genotype and diagnosis of jSpA according to ILAR criteria, 11 children with oligo- and polyarticular forms of JIA, as well as 12 age and sex matched control participants without diagnosis of chronic inflammatory disease. Of those 11 patient and 4 controls were utilized in the microarrays experiments, while the rest were used in the follow-up qPCR analyses
Project description:Objectives: Gut and joint inflammation commonly co-occur in spondyloarthritis (SpA) which strongly restricts therapeutic modalities. The immunobiology underlying differences between gut and joint immune regulation, however, is poorly understood. We therefore assessed the immunoregulatory role of CD4+FOXP3+ regulatory T (Treg) cells in a model of Crohn’s-like ileitis and concomitant arthritis. Methods: RNA-sequencing (RNA-seq) and flow cytometry were performed on inflamed gut and joint samples and tissue-derived Tregs from TNF∆ARE mice. In situ hybridization of TNF and its receptors (TNFR) was applied to human SpA gut biopsies. Soluble(s) TNFR levels were measured in serum of mice and SpA patients and controls. Treg function was explored by in vitro co-cultures and in vivo by conditional Treg depletion. Results: Chronic TNF exposure induced several TNF superfamily (TNFSF) members (4-1BBL, TWEAK and TRAIL) in synovium and ileum in a site-specific manner. Elevated TNFR2 mRNA levels were noted in TNF∆ARE/+ mice leading to increased sTNFR2 release. Likewise, sTNFR2 levels were higher in SpA patients with gut inflammation and distinct from inflammatory and healthy controls. Tregs accumulated at both gut and joints of TNF∆ARE mice, yet their TNFR2 expression and suppressive function was significantly lower in synovium versus ileum. In line herewith, synovial and intestinal Tregs displayed a distinct transcriptional profile with tissue restricted TNFSF receptor and p38MAPK gene expression. Conclusions: These data point to profound differences in immune-regulation between Crohn’s ileitis and peripheral arthritis. Whereas Tregs control ileitis they fail to dampen joint inflammation. Synovial resident Tregs are particularly maladapted to chronic TNF exposure.
Project description:Objectives: Gut and joint inflammation commonly co-occur in spondyloarthritis (SpA) which strongly restricts therapeutic modalities. The immunobiology underlying differences between gut and joint immune regulation, however, is poorly understood. We therefore assessed the immunoregulatory role of CD4+FOXP3+ regulatory T (Treg) cells in a model of Crohn’s-like ileitis and concomitant arthritis. Methods: RNA-sequencing (RNA-seq) and flow cytometry were performed on inflamed gut and joint samples and tissue-derived Tregs from TNF∆ARE mice. In situ hybridization of TNF and its receptors (TNFR) was applied to human SpA gut biopsies. Soluble(s) TNFR levels were measured in serum of mice and SpA patients and controls. Treg function was explored by in vitro co-cultures and in vivo by conditional Treg depletion. Results: Chronic TNF exposure induced several TNF superfamily (TNFSF) members (4-1BBL, TWEAK and TRAIL) in synovium and ileum in a site-specific manner. Elevated TNFR2 mRNA levels were noted in TNF∆ARE/+ mice leading to increased sTNFR2 release. Likewise, sTNFR2 levels were higher in SpA patients with gut inflammation and distinct from inflammatory and healthy controls. Tregs accumulated at both gut and joints of TNF∆ARE mice, yet their TNFR2 expression and suppressive function was significantly lower in synovium versus ileum. In line herewith, synovial and intestinal Tregs displayed a distinct transcriptional profile with tissue restricted TNFSF receptor and p38MAPK gene expression. Conclusions: These data point to profound differences in immune-regulation between Crohn’s ileitis and peripheral arthritis. Whereas Tregs control ileitis they fail to dampen joint inflammation. Synovial resident Tregs are particularly maladapted to chronic TNF exposure.
Project description:Objective. To analyse the pathogenesis of the diseases rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and spondyloarthritis (SpA) we investigated the protein composition in synovial fluid from the patients. Methods. Fifty-six synovial fluid (SF) were analysed with non-gel based proteomics from patients with RA (32) and SpA (24). Rheumatoid factor was measured in plasma, and cell-free DNA was measured in SF. Results. Two hundred proteins were quantified in the samples. The inflammatory proteins were more abundant in the RA group, specially proteins from neutrophil granulocytes. Cell-free DNA (cfDNA) in the SF was statistically associated with proteins that are known to form neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs). Plasma C-reactive protein (CRP), was correlated to other acute phase proteins in the SF. Minimal correlation was seen between acute phase proteins and proteins in NETs. Conclusions. The results show that in the synovial cavity in vivo neutrophils form NETs. This result sustains that neutrophils from RA patients are activated and are likely to undergo NETosis resulting in SF cfDNA specific of arthritis pathology with NETosis.
Project description:An integrated discovery to targeted proteomics approach was used to investigate the protein profiles of good and non–responders to anti-TNF-alpha and T-cell inhibitor treatments in PsA patients. Reverse phase liquid chromatography coupled to tandem mass spectrometry was used to generate protein profiles of synovial tissue obtained at baseline from 10 PsA patients who then commenced anti-TNF-alpha therapy (adalimumab). Targeted proteomics using multiple reaction monitoring was used to confirm and pre-validate a potential protein biomarker panel in 18 and 7 PsA patient samples respectively.
Project description:Persistent mucosal inflammation and microbial infection are characteristic of Chronic Rhinosinusitis (CRS). Though mucosal microbiota dysbiosis is a characteristic feature of other chronic inflammatory diseases, the relationship between sinus microbiota composition and CRS is unknown. Here we demonstrate, using comparative microbiome profiling of a cohort of CRS patients and healthy subjects, that the sinus microbiota of CRS patients exhibit significantly reduced bacterial diversity. Characteristic of this community collapse is the depletion of multiple, phylogenetically distinct, Lactic Acid Bacteria and the concomitant increase in relative abundance of a single species, Corynebacterium tuberculostearicum. Recapitulating the conditions observed in our human cohort in a murine model confirmed the pathogenic potential of C. tuberculostearicum and the critical necessity for a replete mucosal microbiota to protect against this species. Moreover, we provide evidence that Lactobacillus sakei, identified from our comparative microbiome analyses as a potentially protective species, affords defense against C. tuberculostearicum sinus infection, even in the context of a depleted sinus bacterial community. These studies demonstrate that sinus mucosal health is highly dependent on the composition of the resident microbiota, and identifies a new sino-pathogen and a strong bacterial candidate for therapeutic intervention. A total of 14 samples were profiled for microbiome composition: 7 from non-sinusitis patients, and 7 from patients with clinically diagnosed chronic sinusitis.