Involvement of long non-coding RNAs in the pathogenesis of rheumatoid arthritis / 中华医学杂志(英文版)

Long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) plays a contributory role in rheumatoid arthritis (RA). In this review, we summarized the current findings of lncRNAs in RA, including cellular function and the potential mechanisms. Serum lncRNA levels are associated with serum proinflammatory cytokines and disease activity. LncRNAs regulate proliferation, migration, invasion and apoptosis of RA fibroblast-like synoviocytes (FLSs), modulate the differentiation of T lymphocytes and macrophages, and affect bone formation-destruction balance of chondrocytes. Besides, lncRNAs are involved in inflammation and cell motivation signaling pathways. In-depth research on lncRNAs may help elucidate the pathogenesis of RA and provides clues for novel treatment targets.

Comparative study of systemic lupus erythematosus in children and adults / 南方医科大学学报

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To discuss the differences in the clinical features, laboratory tests and renal pathology between children and adults with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE).</p><p><b>METHODS</b>A retrospective study was performed in 198 children and 200 adults with SLE.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Fever, rash, arthritis, anemia and renal involvement were the most common symptoms in both groups. The incidence of hepatomegaly, splenomegaly, lymphadenectasis, anemia, renal involvement, nervous system involvement and digestive apparatus involvement were higher in children with SLE. The mean SLE Disease Activity Index score was also higher in the children. Immunological findings showed that a greater proportion of children with SLE were positive for anti-double stranded DNA antibody, anticardiolipin antibody and perinuclear antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibody. Renal pathological examinations showed that children with SLE patients were more likely to have serious renal involvement. The misdiagnosis rate was higher in children with SLE patients. During the hospital stay, 12 (6.1%) children with SLE died, with an average disease course of 6.8 months; 9 (4.5%) adults with SLE died with an average disease course of 4.2 years.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Children with SLE patients are liable to have systemic involvement and higher misdiagnosis rate, often with poorer prognosis than the adult patients.</p>

Clinical study of etanercept for treating ankylosing spondylitis / 南方医科大学学报

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To evaluate the efficacy and safety of etanercept, a tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha inhibitor, in the treatment of ankylosing spondylitis (AS), and investigate its effect on serum levels of matrix metalloproteinase-3 (MMP-3).</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Forty-eight patients with AS received etanercept 25 mg twice a week for a treatment course of 12 weeks. The patients' symptoms, signs, Bath Ankylosing Spondylitis Disease Activity Index (BASDAI), Bath Ankylosing Spondylitis Functional Index (BASFI), erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), C-reactive protein (CRP) levels and side effects were observed before and after the treatment. The serum levels of MMP-3 was determined using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA).</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>All the patients completed the treatment. The degree of spinal pain and pain at night, the duration of morning stiffness, the finger-to-floor distance, BASDAI and BASFI were significantly improved after the treatment (P<0.05). Etanercept treatment resulted in a significant reduction in serum MMP-3 level in the AS patients to 31.22-/+10.26 ng/ml as compared with the level before treatment (46.17-/+25.74 ng/ml, P<0.05). The reduction of serum MMP-3 was positively correlated to decrement of ESR and CRP (r=0.397 and 0.474, respectively, P<0.05). The most common adverse events of etanercept included injection site reaction and upper respiratory infection.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Etanercept treatment has obvious therapeutic effects on AS without serious adverse effects. MMP-3 may be a potentially useful indicator to assess the effect of anti-TNF-alpha treatment in AS patients.</p>

Significance of calcineurin activation and CD40L expression in patients with active lupus nephritis / 中国应用生理学杂志

<p><b>AIM</b>To investigate the significance of the calcineurin (CaN) activation in active lupus nephritis patient.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) were separated from twenty-one active LN patients and 12 healthy controls. Phosphatase activity of CaN was determined using the CaN assay kit by measuring the content of released PO4. Reverse transcription-PCR was used to detect the expression of CD40L mRNA. Flow cytometry analysis was used to detect the expression of CD40L in LN PBMC.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>(1) Increased activation of CaN in spontaneous cultured PBMC in active LN group was found as compared with control group (46.08 +/- 5.58 vs 8.81 +/- 3.61, P < 0.01). In stimulated by PMA/Ionomycin , activity of CaN in active LN group was also higher than that of control (69.34 +/- 12.59 vs 37.12 +/- 11.57, P < 0.01). (2) Relative content of CD40L in PBMC in active LN groups increased significantly as compared with the control groups under spontaneous and PMA/Ionomycin-induced culture, respectively (P < 0.01). (3) FK506 reduced significantly production of CD40L in spontaneous and PMA/Ionomycin-induced PBMC of LN.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Elevated activation of CaN in active LN may participate in regulation overexpression of CD40L in PBMC of LN. Through inhibiting CaN activity, FK506 may prevent abnormal activation of CD40-CD40L costimulatory pathway in lupus nephritis.</p>

A study of prognosis in adult onset Still's disease patients / 中华风湿病学杂志

Objective To investigate the potential clinical factors associated with the prognosis and relapse of adult onset Still's disease(AOSD).Methods The factors possibly influencing the prognosis and relapse of AOSD were analyzed by logistic regression and COX regression in the cohort study.Ninety-six con- secutive inpatients of AOSD diagnosed based on Yamaguchi criteria in the hospital from March 1996 to September 2004 were included in the study.Results Nine cases(9.4%)were lost during the follow-up. Eleven patients(12.6%)were diagnosed as other diseases(5 with other rheumatic diseases,4 with tumor and 2 with infections)in the 87 follow-up cases.In 76 cases,3 patients(3.9%)died and 33 patients(43.4%) got remission over one year after treatment.Splenomegaly(OR=3.14,95%CI=1.01～9.74)and treated with methotrexate(OR=0.22,95%CI=0.07～0.67)were associated with the prognosis from the logistic regression analysis of the 76 cases.The serum ferritin(RR=I.05,95%CI=1.01～1.08)and treated with methotrexate (RR=0.13,95%CI=0.02～0.76)were associated with relapse from the COX regression analysis of the 61 remis- sion cases.Conclusion We need to be very cautious in the follow-up of AOSD patients because some of them may change to other diseases.Methotrexate may be an importent therapy of AOSD not only in improve- ment the prognosis but also in reduction of relapse.

Expression of B lymphocyte stimulator in peripheral blood mononuclear cells in individuals with systemic lupus erythematosus and the role of interferon-? on it's expression / 中华风湿病学杂志

Objective To determine the expression of membrane-bound B lymphocyte stimulator (BLyS) protein and its mRNA in vitro of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) from individuals with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE),and to investigate the role of interferon-?(IFN-?) on the expression of BLyS.Methods PBMCs were obtained from 25 SLE patients (mean age of 31+14) and 20 healthy volunteers (mean age of 28?10).They were randomized into IFN-?(5 ng/ml) group and control group.PBMCs were col- lected at 0,6,12 and 24 h for BLyS mRNA assessment using semi-quantitative reverse transcription-PCR (RT-PCR).PBMCs were also collected at 72 h for membrane-bound BLyS protein detection using flow cy- tometry (FACS) and direct immunofluorescence.Results①The expression of BLyS mRNA and membrane- bound protein in PBMCs was significantly higher in individuals with SLE compared with healthy controls (P＜0.05);②IFN-?enhanced BLyS mRNA expression in PBMCs in both healthy controls and SLE patients,with the greatest effect at 6 h (stimulated vs unstimulated,0.42?0.19 vs 0.25?0.14,P＜0.01;0.59?0.28 vs 0.44?0.21,P＜0.01 );③IFN-?also increased the expression of membrane-bound BLyS protein in both healthy con- trols and individuals with SLE (FACs,mean fluorescence intensity,4.5+3.0 vs 3.7~2.6,P

Role of NF-?B activation on spontaneous formation of germinal centers in spleen in BXSB mice / 中华风湿病学杂志

Objective To explore the role of NF-kB activation on spontaneous formation of germinal centers in spleen in BXSB mice and it's mechanisms.Methods Eighteen BXSB mice were divided to control group and pyrrolidine dithiocarbonate(PDTC)group randomly.PDTC group was given PDTC 120 mg/kg?BW ip every other day and control group was given the same dose of dissolving solution.NF-kB activity was deter- mined by electrophoretic mobility shift assay.Two color flow cytometry were used to detect CD154 expression on splenic B cells and germinal center B cells apoptosis.Germinal centers were stained for histochemical analysis.Results PDTC could inhibit the NF-kB activity in spleen tissue in BXSB mice.It decreased the NF-kB activity by 62.82%.Spontaneous germinal center formation was detected in spleen in BXSB mice.In- hibiting NF-KB activation could down-regulate CD154 expression on splenic B cell,retard spontaneous germi- nal center formation and increase germinal center B cell apoptosis.Conclusion NF-kB activation may induce spontaneous germinal center formation in spleen in BXSB mice by upregulating CD154 expression on splenic B cell and decreasing germinal center B cell apoptosis.The autoreactive B cells generated during spontaneous germinal center formation may escape apoptosis and then differentiate to autoantibody-producing plasm cells.It suggests that NF-kB can be a therapeutic target.