Induction of interleukin 21 receptor expression via enhanced intracellular metabolism in B cells and its relevance to the disease activity in systemic lupus erythematosus.

Objective: To elucidate the association between the changes in intracellular metabolism in the early stage of B cell activation and systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) pathogenesis.

Methods: CD19 or CD19CD27 (naïve) cells from the peripheral blood of healthy controls and lupus patients were cultured under different stimuli. The changes in intracellular metabolism and signalling pathways in these cells were evaluated.

Efficacy and Safety of Biologics in Polymyalgia Rheumatica: A Retrospective Study.

Introduction: The study aimed to determine the efficacy and safety of biological disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (bDMARDs) in the treatment of polymyalgia rheumatica (PMR) complicated by rheumatoid arthritis (RA).

Methods: Patients with PMR which could be classified as RA and who were treated with bDMARDs were included in the analysis. The primary endpoint was the clinical Polymyalgia Rheumatica Activity Score (Clin-PMR-AS) after 26 weeks of treatment, and the secondary endpoint was adverse events during the observation period.

Generation-Dependent Retention Rates and Reasons for Discontinuation of Molecular Targeted Therapies in Patients with Rheumatoid Arthritis: From FIRST Registry.

Introduction: The study aimed to optimize medical care for elderly patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) by examining the 3-year continuation rate of different molecular targeted therapies across age groups in Japan, which has a significant elderly population.

Methods: The study included patients with RA who started molecular targeted therapies between 2013 and 2019 and divided them into three age groups. The primary outcome was to assess the 3-year continuation rate of each drug and analyze reasons for treatment discontinuation using inverse probability of treatment weighting.

TGF-β3 in differentiation and function of Tph-like cells and its relevance to disease activity in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus.

Objectives: T peripheral helper (Tph) cells have major roles in pathological processes in SLE. We sought to clarify the mechanisms of Tph cell differentiation and their relevance to clinical features in patients with SLE.

Method: Phenotypes and functions of Tph cell-related markers in human CD4+ T cells purified from volunteers or patients were analysed using flow cytometry and quantitative PCR.

Usefulness of ultrasound as a predictor of elderly-onset rheumatoid arthritis with polymyalgia rheumatica-like onset.

Objectives: Differentiation between polymyalgia rheumatica (PMR) and elderly-onset rheumatoid arthritis (EORA), especially in elderly patients, is often difficult due to similarities in symptoms and serological kinetics. In this study, we aimed to analyse the predictors of EORA with PMR-like onset.

Methods: Seventy-two patients diagnosed with PMR, who attended our hospital for routine care and underwent musculoskeletal ultrasonography at that time were evaluated.

Association between ultrasound images and patient-reported outcomes in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis: a retrospective study.

Background: Improvements in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) have made it possible to achieve treatment goals. It has been reported that both residual synovitis caused by RA and the patients' subjective symptoms remain even after achieving the treatment goals; however, there are limited reports showing a relationship between them. Furthermore, no studies have evaluated the relationship between patient-reported outcomes (PROs) and subclinical synovitis measured by musculoskeletal ultrasonography (MSUS) in the treatment of RA.

mTOR activation in CD8+ cells contributes to disease activity of rheumatoid arthritis and increases therapeutic response to TNF inhibitors.

Objective: This study aimed to understand the role of mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) in CD8+ cells in the pathogenicity of RA and the changes after treatment with biologic drugs.

Methods: Peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) were isolated from 17 healthy controls and 86 patients with RA. Phosphorylation of mTOR (p-mTOR) and its clinical relevance were evaluated.

An enhanced mitochondrial function through glutamine metabolism in plasmablast differentiation in systemic lupus erythematosus.

Objective: To evaluate the dysfunction of B-cell metabolism and its involvement in SLE pathology.

Methods: We assessed the expression of metabolic markers of B cells in the peripheral blood of healthy controls (HCs) and SLE patients by using flow cytometry. In vitro, peripheral B cells were isolated from HCs and SLE patients to investigate the metabolic regulation mechanisms involved in their differentiation.

Pathological role of activated mTOR in CXCR3+ memory B cells of rheumatoid arthritis.

Objectives: B cells play an important pathological role in RA. In this study, we investigated the role of metabolic regulator mTOR in B cells and its relevance to the pathology of RA.

Methods: Peripheral blood mononuclear cells were isolated from 31 normal subjects and 86 RA patients and the gated B cells were assessed for mTOR phosphorylation and chemokine receptor expression.

Enhanced Fatty Acid Synthesis Leads to Subset Imbalance and IFN-γ Overproduction in T Helper 1 Cells.

Recent reports have shown the importance of IFN-γ and T-bet B cells in the pathology of SLE, suggesting the involvement of IFN-γ-producing T-bet CD4 cells, i.e., Th1 cells.

Short-term effectiveness of ixekizumab to refractory psoriatic arthritis with spondyloarthritis: two case reports.

Psoriatic arthritis (PsA) manifests not only skin lesion but also peripheral and axial joint involvements, thus the disease is considered to be part of spondyloarthritis. In patients with active spondyloarthritis, tumour necrosis factor inhibitors biologics are often considered, but there is not sufficient evidence about other type of biologics. Ixekizumab (IXE) is a humanised monoclonal antibody, which acts against interleukin-17A, a cytokine involved in psoriasis pathogenesis.

Severe pulmonary arterial hypertension and interstitial pneumonia related to systemic lupus erythematosus successfully treated with mycophenolate mofetil: A novel case report.

Background: Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) and interstitial pneumonia (IP) are relatively rare complications of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and are associated with a poor prognosis. Overcoming these complications is a challenge for improving the prognosis.

Case Report: A 41-year-old woman was diagnosed with SLE complicated by IP at the age of 21 years and with antiphospholipid syndrome at the age of 32 years at another hospital.

Fifty-Two-Week Results of Clinical and Imaging Assessments of a Patient with Rheumatoid Arthritis Complicated by Systemic Sclerosis with Interstitial Pneumonia and Type 1 Diabetes despite Multiple Disease-Modifying Antirheumatic Drug Therapy That Was Successfully Treated with Baricitinib: A Novel Case Report.

Baricitinib is a Janus kinase 1/2 (JAK1/2) inhibitor used in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis. A 71-year-old woman with rheumatoid arthritis complicated by systemic sclerosis and type 1 diabetes that were resistant to multiple disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs started treatment with baricitinib. After baricitinib administration, the disease activity of her rheumatoid arthritis was attenuated from the early stage of treatment, and the effect was maintained for up to 52 weeks.

IgG4-related Pleuritis with Elevated Adenosine Deaminase in Pleural Effusion.

An 81-year-old man was admitted with bilateral pleural effusion. A clinical examination showed lymphocytic pleura effusion and elevated serum IgG4 levels, so that IgG4-related disease was suggested, whereas tuberculous pleurisy was suspected because of high adenosine deaminase (ADA) levels in the pleural effusion. A surgical pleural biopsy revealed that there were large numbers of IgG4-positive cells and IgG4/IgG positive cell ratio exceeded 40% in several sites.

Highly stabilized amorphous 3-bis(4-methoxyphenyl)methylene-2-indolinone (TAS-301) in melt-adsorbed products with silicate compounds.

3-Bis(4-Methoxyphenyl)methylene-2-indolinone (TAS-301) is a poorly water-soluble drug showing low oral bioavailability in rats and dogs. Previously, we reported that when a physical mixture of TAS-301 and a porous calcium silicate, Florite RE (FLR), was heated at high temperature (250 degrees C), the drug melted and was adsorbed by the FLR in an amorphous state, and that the preparation (melt-adsorbed product) showed a significantly increased solubility and dissolution rate, and a significantly enhanced oral bioavailability of the drug. The aim of the present study was to elucidate important factors for preparing a melt-adsorbed product showing greater stability of drug in an amorphous state.