Structural Analysis of Breast-Milk α-Casein: An α-Helical Conformation Is Required for TLR4-Stimulation.

Breast-milk α-casein is a Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) agonist, whereas phosphorylated α-casein does not bind TLR4. The objective of this study was to analyse the structural requirements for these effects. In silico analysis of α-casein indicated high α-helical content with coiled-coil characteristics.

Sustained agreement rates in the longitudinal assessment of lupus patients to a Broad Consent for personal data and specimen usage in the RHINEVIT biobank.

Background: Biobanks are essential structures for scientific research. The RHINEVIT biobank is used to recruit biomaterials from rheumatology patients in outpatient care and to conduct clinical research studies (e.g.

Human α-casein induces IL-8 secretion by binding to the ecto-domain of the TLR4/MD2 receptor complex.

Background: The milk protein α-casein was recently reported to induce secretion of proinflammatory cytokines via Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4). In this study, α-casein was identified as binder of theTLR4 ecto domain.

Methods: IL-8 secretion after stimulation of TLR4/MD2 (myeloid differentiation factor 2)/CD14 (cluster of differentiation 14)-transfected HEK293 cells (TLR4) and Mono Mac 6 cells (MM6) with recombinant α-casein, or LPS as control was monitored.

Comprehensive Longitudinal Surveillance of the IgG Autoantibody Repertoire in Established Systemic Lupus Erythematosus.

Objective: To investigate the role of epitope spreading in established systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE).

Methods: IgG autoantibody reactivity with 398 distinct recombinant proteins was measured over a period of 6 years in 69 SLE patients and compared to that in 45 controls. Changes in mean fluorescence intensity (MFI), number of autoantibodies to distinct antigens, and reactivity with distinct clones of established antigenic targets (e.

Rheumatoid Arthritis Magnetic Resonance Imaging Score Predicts Therapy Response: Results of the German ArthroMark Cohort.

Objective: Markers for treatment response in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) are lacking. The aim of the study was to assess the performance of the RA magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scoring system (RAMRIS) in combination with serum biomarkers to predict response to methotrexate (MTX) treatment in therapy-naive patients with early RA by using high-field MRI.

Methods: Twenty-eight patients with RA were prospectively assessed with baseline 3-T MRI of the clinical dominant hand, 3 and 6 months after MTX.