Publications by authors named "FUENTE H"
Detecting the association of genetic variants to the response of biological therapy represents an important advance in developing a personalized therapy. The aim of this work was to study the association of polymorphisms with an optimal response to tildrakizumab in patients with psoriasis in a real-life clinical practice. Ninety patients with plaque psoriasis recruited from-Spanish hospitals receiving tildrakizumab for at least 24 weeks were genotyped for 180 polymorphisms.
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- - Long-COVID (LC) is defined by lingering symptoms for over 3 months post-COVID-19 infection, potentially caused by immune system dysregulation and chronic inflammation.
- - The study identifies specific CD4 T cell subpopulations in COVID-19 recovery and reveals that certain CCR6-expressing T cells are reduced in LC patients, while others increase.
- - LC patients demonstrate lower levels of IFN-γ-secreting CD8 T cells when exposed to the SARS-CoV-2 Spike protein, highlighting the importance of CCR6 in understanding LC's underlying mechanisms.
Beneficial effect of temporary methotrexate interruption on B and T cell responses upon SARS-CoV-2 vaccination in patients with rheumatoid arthritis or psoriatic arthritis.
Pedro Martínez-Fleta Esther F Vicente-Rabaneda Ana Triguero-Martínez Emilia Roy-Vallejo Miren Uriarte-Ecenarro
NPJ Vaccines
January 2024
Article Synopsis
- A study evaluated the immune response of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and psoriatic arthritis (PsA) patients to COVID-19 vaccines after stopping methotrexate (MTX) treatment for 1 or 2 weeks compared to those who continued MTX.
- Patients who paused MTX showed higher levels of antibodies and a stronger T-cell response, particularly in the group that withdrew for 2 weeks.
- Importantly, stopping MTX did not lead to increased flare-ups of RA or PsA, suggesting that a temporary withdrawal could enhance vaccine effectiveness without risking disease stability.
Background: Prediction of the response to a biological treatment in psoriasis patients would allow efficient treatment allocation.
Objective: To identify polymorphisms associated with secukinumab response in psoriasis patients in a daily practice setting.
Methods: We studied 180 SNPs in patients with moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis recruited from 15 Spanish hospitals.
Article Synopsis
- Primary Sjögren's syndrome (pSS) is an autoimmune disorder influenced by type I and II interferons, with an inadequate focus on the role of innate immune cells like NK and dendritic cells.
- Researchers found a specific NK cell subset in pSS patients that is more effective at killing cells and detected higher levels of a certain type of dendritic cell (cDC2) involved in inflammation.
- The study suggests that the interaction between these NK cells and cDC2s, along with specific signaling pathways, plays a key role in pSS development, highlighting potential new targets for therapy.
Article Synopsis
- - CD69 is an important marker for early activation of immune cells and plays a crucial role in regulating immune responses through various ligands it interacts with.
- - Research has identified four key ligands for CD69 and highlighted its connections to other molecules like calreticulin and specific receptors that influence immune cell behavior.
- - Recent findings reveal that activation of CD69 can lead to increased expression of PD-1, a receptor that plays a significant role in T cell regulation, suggesting its potential impact on immunological responses.
Article Synopsis
- Bladder carcinoma often leads to high morbidity and mortality due to its tendency to recur and progress, highlighting the need to understand the tumor microenvironment's role in cancer development and treatment responses.
- The study involved collecting blood and urothelial tissue samples from 41 bladder cancer patients to analyze immune cell populations using flow cytometry, focusing on different grades of cancer.
- Results showed variations in immune cell types and activation markers between tumor and blood samples, suggesting that understanding these immune responses could help improve treatment strategies and patient monitoring in bladder cancer cases.
Article Synopsis
- - Galectin-1 (Gal1) is an important immune system regulator, and its levels in serum (sGal1) are increased in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients compared to healthy donors, but its role in spondyloarthritis (SpA) was previously unclear.
- - A study comparing sGal1 levels in healthy donors, RA patients, and SpA patients found that sGal1 levels were significantly lower in SpA patients, similar to healthy individuals, while also establishing a cut-off to distinguish RA from SpA and healthy individuals.
- - The findings suggest that sGal1 could serve as a useful diagnostic biomarker for RA, helping to differentiate it from SpA, although no correlation was found between sGal
The COVID-19 pandemic completely transformed the mobility of cities. The restrictions on movement led to "empty cities" throughout the world, with some environmental effects in terms of clean air and the reduction of CO emissions. This research considers how COVID-19 mobility restrictions have affected the carbon footprint of four medium-sized Chilean cities (Coronel, Temuco, Valdivia, and Osorno) that have environmental problems and are highly dependent on motorized systems.
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- The study investigates the role of CD1c+ conventional dendritic cells (cDC) in rheumatoid arthritis (RA), focusing on their activation and contribution to disease pathology.
- Researchers analyzed the characteristics of CD1c+ and CD141+ cDC, as well as monocytes, from the blood and synovial fluid of RA patients.
- Findings revealed that CD1c+ cDC exhibit increased levels of specific receptors and cytokines, enhancing their ability to activate pro-inflammatory T cells, with potential mechanisms involving interactions between Fcγ receptors and NLRC4.
Article Synopsis
- The study examines the role of T cells, particularly CD69+ Tregs, in managing immune responses and cardiac function after a heart attack (myocardial infarction).
- Analysis of 283 patients showed that overexpression of CD69 on Tregs is linked to improved survival rates.
- Experiments in mice revealed that CD69+ Tregs reduce harmful inflammation and improve heart function, suggesting CD69 as a potential biomarker and therapeutic target to reduce heart failure risk post-MI.
Article Synopsis
- The study investigates the expression of vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP) and its receptors VPAC1 and VPAC2 in patients with immune-mediated inflammatory disorders (IMID) to understand their shared mechanisms.
- Results show that IMID patients had significantly higher levels of VIP and greater VPAC2 expression compared to healthy controls, making these markers potential indicators for diagnosing IMIDs.
- Treatment with biological therapies, like anti-TNFα and anti-IL12/23, influenced serum VIP levels, and specific miRNA signatures were linked to VIP and VPAC2 levels, suggesting a deeper connection between these markers and IMIDs.
Article Synopsis
- * RNA sequencing on Jurkat T cells revealed that CD69-oxLDL interactions lead to the expression of anti-inflammatory NR4A receptors and PD-1, indicating their role in modulating immune responses.
- * In human arteries with chronic inflammation, increased levels of PD-1, CD69, and NR4A3 were observed, suggesting that CD69 may help regulate inflammation and vascular remodeling independently of traditional T cell receptor signaling.
Article Synopsis
- Galectin 1 (Gal1) is linked to immune regulation and is found at higher levels in rheumatoid arthritis patients compared to healthy individuals.
- The study aimed to identify genetic variants in the Gal1 gene (LGALS1) that influence its expression in early arthritis patients, focusing on three specific genetic markers.
- Results showed that certain genetic variants correlated with higher Gal1 serum levels and lower IL-6 levels in patients, suggesting that these genetic factors contribute to differences in disease characteristics and treatment responses.
Article Synopsis
- Allergic diseases are immunological disorders triggered by allergens, leading to type 2 immunity and IgE responses, with a rising prevalence similar to cardiovascular diseases (CVD).
- CVD often stems from atherosclerosis, characterized by endothelial dysfunction and Th1 inflammation, raising questions about the relationship between allergic conditions and heart health.
- The review explores the phases of allergic pathology, immunological mechanisms of atherosclerosis, and the complex clinical connections between allergic diseases (like asthma and food allergies) and CVD, including the role of various immune cells and mediators in these conditions.
Antiretroviral therapy duration and immunometabolic state determine efficacy of ex vivo dendritic cell-based treatment restoring functional HIV-specific CD8+ T cells in people living with HIV.
Marta Calvet-Mirabent Ildefonso Sánchez-Cerrillo Noa Martín-Cófreces Pedro Martínez-Fleta Hortensia de la Fuente
EBioMedicine
July 2022
Article Synopsis
- The study explores how CD8 T cell dysfunction affects the immune response to HIV-1 in people on anti-retroviral therapy, emphasizing differences between those on long-term (LT-ARTp) and short-term (ST-ARTp) treatments.
- Findings indicate that CD8 T cells from individuals on LT-ARTp show improved functionality and memory response, while those on ST-ARTp have more exhaustion markers and less effectiveness in attacking HIV-infected cells.
- The research suggests that addressing specific metabolic and immune exhaustion factors in ST-ARTp patients could enhance immune responses, paving the way for personalized HIV vaccine strategies.
Article Synopsis
- Some COVID-19 patients with pneumonia experience a cytokine storm that worsens their condition, potentially benefiting from anti-inflammatory treatments like colchicine.
- A trial involving 240 hospitalized patients tested the effectiveness of colchicine compared to standard care in reducing serious outcomes (like mechanical ventilation and death).
- The results showed no significant difference in outcomes between those treated with colchicine and the control group, indicating that colchicine did not offer any additional clinical benefits.
Article Synopsis
- Air pollutants can increase the risk and mortality of heart attacks, known as myocardial infarctions (MIs).
- This study examined how short-term exposure to air pollution affects immune cells and microRNAs in patients with acute coronary syndromes and compared them to stable angina controls.
- Findings revealed that patients with ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) exposed to particulate matter (PM) experienced a decrease in regulatory T cells and increases in specific microRNAs, indicating significant inflammatory responses linked to air pollution.
Article Synopsis
- Optical coherence tomography (OCT) is a powerful imaging method for assessing coronary anatomy, but its quality can suffer when severe lesions obstruct blood flow.
- This study tested a new "double injection technique" (DIT) on 23 patients with severe coronary lesions to see if it could enhance image quality compared to the traditional technique.
- Results showed that DIT led to a significant increase in optimal visualization of coronary vessels and improved image quality scores, with no complications reported.
Article Synopsis
- COVID-19 pneumonia is a severe infectious disease that poses a significant risk, particularly to older patients with existing health issues, and the mechanisms behind it are still not fully understood.
- The study compared the profiles of specific miRNAs and cytokines in patients with COVID-19 and those with other forms of pneumonia, leading to the identification of 15 miRNAs that are altered in COVID-19.
- A subgroup of four specific miRNAs was found to effectively distinguish between COVID-19 and other pneumonia cases, while certain cytokine levels also differed significantly between mild and severe COVID-19 patients, contributing to a better understanding of the disease's underlying mechanisms.
Article Synopsis
- The interaction between T cells, dendritic cells, and keratinocytes is essential for inflammation in psoriasis, with GADD45 proteins playing a key role in DNA repair and immune regulation.
- A study of 30 psoriasis patients showed lower GADD45a levels in the epidermis but higher in T cells in affected skin, alongside increased GADD45a and GADD45b expression in peripheral T cells compared to controls.
- The research also found that hypermethylation of the UCHL1 promoter in lesional skin correlated with reduced GADD45a expression, suggesting that GADD45a's demethylase activity may influence its diverse effects in psoriasis.
Article Synopsis
- - A new microRNA, hsa-miR-Chr8:96, was discovered as a potential diagnostic marker for acute myocarditis, showing promise in differentiating it from other heart conditions like myocardial infarction.
- - The research involved analyzing specific immune cells in mice and then validating the findings in human patients, revealing that this microRNA is present in those with myocarditis but not in those with myocardial infarction.
- - This microRNA demonstrated a high diagnostic accuracy with an area under the curve of 0.927, making it a valuable tool for diagnosing acute myocarditis and potentially reducing reliance on invasive procedures.
Article Synopsis
- Spontaneous Coronary Artery Dissection (SCAD) is a key cause of heart issues in younger women, making it crucial to differentiate it from coronary atherothrombosis during diagnosis.
- A study used plasma samples from patients with SCAD and atherothrombotic acute myocardial infarction (AT-AMI) to analyze specific miRNAs and other biomarkers, finding that certain miRNAs can distinguish between these two conditions effectively.
- The discovery highlights four miRNAs (miR-let-7f-5p, miR-146a-5p, miR-151a-3p, and miR-223-5p) that serve as a potential diagnostic tool for SCAD while also suggesting related
Article Synopsis
- SARS-CoV-2 triggers a strong immune response, which is crucial in determining how severe COVID-19 becomes in patients.
- Analysis of blood samples from 276 patients showed that severe cases were linked to a drop in key immune cells (T, B, and NK cells) and changes in specific immune cell types.
- The study highlights the association between severity and a weakened humoral immune response, with implications for developing new treatment strategies for COVID-19.
Article Synopsis
- Allergic contact dermatitis is a common skin issue caused by allergens or irritants, resulting in red, itchy, and swollen skin, and is driven by T-cell activity.
- Galectin-1 (Gal-1) is a protein found in immune cells, and research shows that mice lacking Gal-1 experience more severe skin inflammation and increased presence of immune cells after exposure to allergens like oxazolone.
- The study indicates that Gal-1 is crucial for regulating CD8 T cells, suggesting it plays a protective role in preventing severe allergic contact dermatitis, while its absence does not impact CD4 T cells in terms of skin inflammation.