Epigenetic factors and inflammaging: FOXO3A as a potential biomarker of sarcopenia and upregulation of DNMT3A and SIRT3 in older adults.

Background: Epigenetic factors influence inflammaging and geriatric disorders such as sarcopenia and frailty. It is necessary to develop a biomarker/panel of biomarkers for fast and easy diagnostics. Currently, hard-to-access equipment is required to diagnose sarcopenia.

NADPH oxidase expression profile and PBMC immunophenotypic changes in anti-TNF-treated rheumatoid arthritis patients.

The aim of this research was to prospectively evaluate the impact of NOX2 gene expression profile (including NCF1, NCF2 and NCF4 genes) in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) on immune signatures, clinical characteristics and responsiveness to anti-TNF treatment in RA patients. Blood specimens were collected from 31 rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients and 25 healthy controls, and 16 RA patients were followed at two timepoints during anti-TNF treatment. mRNA expression levels of selected genes and immunoregulatory cytokines concentrations were determined.

Aging and the impact of global DNA methylation, telomere shortening, and total oxidative status on sarcopenia and frailty syndrome.

Aging is a biological event that influences many organs and systems. Both sarcopenia and frailty syndrome refer to geriatric conditions with overlapping phenotypes. Many mechanisms are involved in the aging process such as DNA methylation telomeres which are susceptible to oxidative stress, and inflammations which result in telomere shortening, leading to chromosomal instability.

Mixed Connective Tissue Disease as Different Entity: Global Methylation Aspect.

Mixed connective tissue disease (MCTD) is a very rare disorder that belongs in the rare and clinically multifactorial groups of diseases. The pathogenesis of MCTD is still unclear. The best understood epigenetic alteration is DNA methylation whose role is to regulate gene expression.

Cell Cultures as a Versatile Tool in the Research and Treatment of Autoimmune Connective Tissue Diseases.

Cell cultures are an important part of the research and treatment of autoimmune connective tissue diseases. By culturing the various cell types involved in ACTDs, researchers are able to broaden the knowledge about these diseases that, in the near future, may lead to finding cures. Fibroblast cultures and chondrocyte cultures allow scientists to study the behavior, physiology and intracellular interactions of these cells.

Safety of esthetic procedures in rheumatic patients: single-center survey of patients.

The popularity of esthetic medicine is growing every year, also among patients with autoimmune inflammatory rheumatic diseases (AIRD). The objective of this study was to evaluate the safety of esthetic medicine (AM) procedures in patients with AIRD. A semi-structured, anonymous questionnaire regarding rheumatic and concomitant diseases and AM procedures was distributed among adult patients hospitalized in the rheumatology department or attending outpatient clinic in the National Institute of Geriatrics, Rheumatology, and Rehabilitation, Warsaw.

Expression of Prostaglandin Genes and β-Catenin in Whole Blood as Potential Markers of Muscle Degeneration.

Prostaglandin signaling pathways are closely related to inflammation, but also muscle regeneration and processes associated with frailty and sarcopenia, whereas β-catenin ( gene) as a part of Wnt signaling is also involved in the differentiation of muscle cells and fibrosis. The present study analyzed the association between selected prostaglandin pathway genes and clinical parameters in patients with sarcopenia and frailty syndrome. The present study was conducted on patients with sarcopenia, frailty syndrome, and control older patients (N = 25).

Basic Properties of Adipose-Derived Mesenchymal Stem Cells of Rheumatoid Arthritis and Osteoarthritis Patients.

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and osteoarthritis (OA) are destructive joint diseases, the development of which are associated with the expansion of pathogenic T lymphocytes. Mesenchymal stem cells may be an attractive therapeutic option for patients with RA or OA due to the regenerative and immunomodulatory abilities of these cells. The infrapatellar fat pad (IFP) is a rich and easily available source of mesenchymal stem cells (adipose-derived stem cells, ASCs).

Serum microRNAs in Systemic Sclerosis, Associations with Digital Vasculopathy and Lung Involvement.

Systemic sclerosis (SSc) is an autoimmune, rare multisystem chronic disease that is still not well-understood aetiologically and is challenging diagnostically. In the literature, there are ever-increasing assumptions regarding the epigenetic mechanisms involved in SSc development; one of them is circulating microRNAs. Many of them regulate TLR pathways and are significant in autoimmune balance.

miR-10 and Its Negative Correlation with Serum IL-35 Concentration and Positive Correlation with STAT5a Expression in Patients with Rheumatoid Arthritis.

Circulating free-cell miRNAs are increasingly important as potential non-invasive biomarkers due to the easy accessibility of clinical materials. Moreover, their epigenetic role may provide insight into the mechanisms of pathogenesis. Nevertheless, these aspects are mostly studied in the area of oncological diseases.

Application of NGS Technology in Understanding the Pathology of Autoimmune Diseases.

NGS technologies have transformed clinical diagnostics and broadly used from neonatal emergencies to adult conditions where the diagnosis cannot be made based on clinical symptoms. Autoimmune diseases reveal complicate molecular background and traditional methods could not fully capture them. Certainly, NGS technologies meet the needs of modern exploratory research, diagnostic and pharmacotherapy.

AHR-dependent genes and response to MTX therapy in rheumatoid arthritis patients.

Methotrexate (MTX) is the first-line therapy for rheumatoid arthritis. Nevertheless, MTX resistance is quite a common issue in clinical practice. There are some premises that aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) gene battery may take part in MTX metabolism.

Th17/Treg-Related Transcriptional Factor Expression and Cytokine Profile in Patients With Rheumatoid Arthritis.

Objectives: The aim of our study was to determine whether there is a correlation between transcription factors expression and Th17/Treg ratio, cytokine profile in the RA phenotype as well as to identify transcription factors that could be a potential biomarker for RA.

Methods: The study was conducted on 45 patients with RA, 27 patients with OA and 46 healthy controls (HCs). Th17 and Treg frequency was determined by flow cytometry (15 patients with RA/OA and 15 subjects of HC).

Mesenchymal stem cells in systemic sclerosis therapy.

Systemic sclerosis (SSc) is a rare autoimmune disorder with a high mortality rate. There are still many unknowns concerning the pathophysiology of this disease, due to its clinical heterogeneity. Since there is still no curative treatment, researchers focus on finding novel methods to help the patients.

The Interplay between Transcriptional Factors and MicroRNAs as an Important Factor for Th17/Treg Balance in RA Patients.

MicroRNAs regulate gene expression of transcriptional factors, which influence Th17/Treg (regulatory T cells) balance, establishing the molecular mechanism of genetic and epigenetic regulation of Treg and Th17 cells is crucial for understanding rheumatoid arthritis (RA) pathogenesis. The study goal was to understand the potential impact of the selected microRNAs expression profiles on Treg/Th17 cells frequency, RA phenotype, the expression profile of selected microRNAs, and their correlation with the expression profiles of selected transcriptional factors: SOCS1, SMAD3, SMAD4, STAT3, STAT5 in RA; we used osteoarthritis (OA) and healthy controls (HCs) as controls. The study was conducted on 14 RA and 11 OA patients, and 15 HCs.

Epigenetic Regulations of AhR in the Aspect of Immunomodulation.

Environmental factors contribute to autoimmune disease manifestation, and as regarded today, AhR has become an important factor in studies of immunomodulation. Besides immunological aspects, AhR also plays a role in pharmacological, toxicological and many other physiological processes such as adaptive metabolism. In recent years, epigenetic mechanisms have provided new insight into gene regulation and reveal a new contribution to autoimmune disease pathogenesis.

Tissue factor and human apolipoprotein H genetic variants and pro-inflammatory cytokines in systemic lupus erythematosus patients.

Objectives: Tissue factor (TF) and Human apolipoprotein H (APOH) seem to be significantly associated with a clinical manifestation in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) patients with or without APS, mostly because of thrombotic events and coagulation processes. Additionally, according to recent studies, these two factors appear to be an important part of immune response and inflammation.

Methods: The objective of this study was to investigate three SNPs of APOH (rs4581, rs8178835 and rs818819) and three of TF (rs958587, rs3917615, rs1361600) in SLE patients and healthy subjects using TaqMan genotyping assay and their association with inflammatory cytokines level in serum and selected clinical parameters.

Interferons () Genetic Variants in Patients with Mixed Connective Tissue Disease (MCTD).

Mixed connective tissue disease (MCTD) is a rare complex autoimmune disease in which autoantigens are recognized by endosomal TLRs. Their activation induces a higher secretion of the type I interferons, IFN-γ and the up-regulation of the INF-inducible genes. The present study aimed to investigate whether SNPs that are located in the IFN-A, IFN-B, and IFN-G genes are associated with MCTD.

Is the T-G-CT-G SNRNP70 haplotype another proof that mixed connective tissue disease is distinct from systemic lupus erythematosus and systemic sclerosis? A novel gene variant in SNRNP70 gene.

Objectives: U1-70K, encoded by the SNRNP70 gene, is a key early immunogen in connective tissue disease. The aim of the study was the genetic analysis of the SNRNP70 gene in mixed connective tissue disease (MCTD), systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and systemic sclerosis (SSc) patients.

Methods: SNRNP70 genetic variants were detected using 3730 DNA Analyzer.

IL-35, TNF-α, BAFF, and VEGF serum levels in patients with different rheumatic diseases.

Objectives: Inflammatory processes in rheumatic diseases spread via various types of immune system cells and tissues with the aid of inflammatory cytokines and growth factors and the participation of vascular endothelium. Research is still conducted to determine the role of individual factors in the pathophysiology of rheumatic diseases. The task is complicated because the multiplane network of cytokines is characterized by complex correlations manifesting as positive and negative feedback, which impedes the definitive interpretation of the role of specific cytokines.